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The Commoner
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-Gdv'ernor McKelvie
Refused
The Nebraska logtslaturo, which was called
in special session, July 28, for the purpose of
ratifying tho suffrage amendment, was not given
an opportunity by Gpvornor McKelvie to consider
tho question of profiteering. When tho governor
consontod to call tho speoial session, Tho Com
moner rocommondod that ho include in his call
tho subjoct of profiteering so that tho legislature
could onact legislation to protect tho people
against tho profiteer.
Charlos W. Bryan took the tho matter up per.
sonally with tho governor and urged him to in
clude tho subject of profiteering in his call,
pointing out tho growing unrest throughout tho
country, tho action that tho governors of other
states were taking, and the special need for sup
plementing the present laws of Nebraska by spe
cial laws dealing with tho modern method' of
taking advantage of tho public by the apparent
ly unlimited amount of marking up all goods
by wholesaler and retailor and other middlemen.
The governor dK not includo tho subject of
profiteering in his call, and on the day that
tho legislature convoned, Mr. C. W. gave a
public statoment to tho press urging the gqv
ornor to supplement his call, pointing out tho
rocont dovelopr ent3 which made tho matter of
dealing with profiteers moro urgent than at the
time ho issued his call, and closing tho public .
atatomont with the suggestion to the legislature
that if tho govornor did not take the initiative
and lay tho matter before tho legislature so that
th6 legislature was at liberty to provide tho
necessary laws, tho legislature should pass a
resolution calling on tho governor to submit the
matter so that they would bo free to give tho
pooplo much needed rolief.
Tho govornor failing to take any notice of tho
roquest that ho supplement his message to tho
legislature, six republican members of tho lower'
house of the Nebraska legislature which is
composed of oighty-fivo republicans and fifte'en
democrats Introduced a resolution calling on
tho governor to immediately reassemble the
legislature in special session before they left tho
capital city so as to glvo thom an opportunity
to onact needed state legislation to enable the
state and municipal authorities to protect tho
pooplo of Nebraska against the profiteer.
As tho govornor and state officers are repub
licans, and as the organization o tho house and
senate Js overwhelmingly in control of the re
publicans, tho govornor and the members of the
organization of both branches of the legislature
immediately set in motion plans to prevent the
resolution which was introduced by the six re
publican mombors from being adopted. The
governors forces introduced substitute motions
to permit tho speaker of the houso to appoint a
committee to confer with tho govornor and con
sider tho matter, thoy introduced a resolution
calling on congress to take immediate action to
protect the people against profiteering, and re
sorted to various parliamentary tactics to keep
tho original resolution from being considered,
but the members of tho Jiouse of representatives
wore in no humor to be thwarted in their effort
to bo of some service to tho public, and after a
vigorous debate lasting all day, and after having
voted down all tho substitutes and other plans
proposed by tho governor's friends to prevent
the legislature from demanding of him that he
call thorn in special session to consider tho sub
ject of profiteering, tho resolution demanding a
special session was passed by a vote -of fiftv-foiir
to thirty-eight.
Notwithstanding tho demand of the legisla
ture and the overwhelming sentiment of tho
people of tho state for rolief, the govornor per
sonally appeared before tho lower houso of tho
legislature, refused to comply with tho request
to call a special session, and said in effect that
tho legislature should have enacted legislation
during tho regular session' of the legislature w
. winter if any additional legislation was needed
to protect tho public. neeueu
Tho action of Governor McKelvie of Nebraska
in refusing to permit the state legis at ro tn
give the people relief, although they were Ssos
sion and asked permission of him to do so
an innovation in tho uso of the executive power
,. of tho sate His use of his technical authority
tp practically suppress tho law-makinr brannh
pC the a ato. government or his action in C0
roguing" tho legislature, will not aid in quieting
tho unrest of tho people, will not increase tho ,
confidence of tho people of the state in their
public offlclals and will not give the federal gov
ernment the full assistance of tho governmental
machinery in Nebraska in Its efforts to curb the
pirate profiteer.
In another column of this issue will be found
four specific remedies that Charles W. Bryan
asked Governor McKelvio and the Nebraska
legislature to consider for the relief of the people
in dealing with the profiteers whose activities
are confined within the state and municipalities ,
of Nebraska where the federal govornment is
unable to reach them.
PROGRESS BEING WADE AGAINST
PROFITEERING '
The machinery of tho federal govornment has
been set in motion in rosponse to the nation
wide demands from the public that some official
action be taken to relieve the high cost of living.
The governors and legislatures of several states
have taken under consideration measures that
will protect tho people against profiteering, and
the officials of municipalities throughout the
country are falling into lino in accelerating the
movement. Some of the most notable happen
ings within the past two weeks have been tho
following:
President Wilson appeared before congress
August 8 and delivered a message calling atten
tion to tho urgent need of more drasfic laws
to deal with the profiteering evil, and making ,
several specific recommendations.
The first direct blow at the profiteer will be '
struck by the government on Monday, August
18, when the war department will begin the
largest direct sale of foodstuffs to the American
people ever attempted. Nearly 170,000,000 cans
of surplus food, in addition to 78,000,000 pack
ages of bacon, will bo made available through
the parcel post service to every resident in every
town and city in tho United States. Agencies
are being established at more than 50,000 post- '
office stations for the delivery of the orders.
Postponement of. the distribution of the food
until August 18 was necessary to give the post
office department opportunity to issue instruc
tions to postmasters, and furnish them with
order forms, price lists and other data. The
responsibility for the bodking of the orders and
deliveries of the food will bo assumed by the
postofllce department.
Agents of the department of justice through
out the country are today at work carrying out
the order of the atto;. ey general that profiteers
and hoarders of food and other necessities be
tracked down and prosecuted under the Lever
food control act.
The federal trade commission, in a report to
congress, declared the high price of shoes was
?h i00880 Profits taken by every factor in
the shoe production industry. The packers wero
charged with having begun the pyTanIK o?
shoe-prices by an unwarranted increase in' the
PirlC6 1 heS' tUe SUI)ply of wlch they were
charged with having taken "exceptional profits
while the shoe manufacturers have demanded
an unusual margin, and that the retailers havn
charged prices that are "not justifiable" ,
Anti-trust suits against the five hi meat'
packers will be instituted immediately by the
department of justice. Attorney General P?imS
announced that evidence beforthe ??SKral tr?de
commission and congressional conYmUtees in
dicated "clear violation of the anti-trust laws"
co.'he had rdered "W acioHc-
All federal district attornevn in i, tt
States have been ordered y Attornev r "5
and to label the t&
itios, state and county InstituUnS ? municipal
cities have taken advontaS 5? S:evoral lar6e
have placed SoEreM
tho benefit of the consumers SaI for
& wS arnd deale-
and other commoditLs tT rl g ,in foodstuffs
through the Xnf'??.
steps to revive all over tho rtl i i iias taken
elaborate organization maintained i?v ?,tates the
food administration. tSZ V? Vle recent
tutors to Ag inis-
mining fair prices, publishing lists nf , ,
for the guidance of the public i .f f?ir
fedoral authorities in the nfIJL a88,,l,n8tt
law. Wherever there hfevkl nee?! '
and other unfair practices the IvLL T
made fie basis of criminal nro-nr U tj
'Bills ponding before congr ,T
exportation of certain foodstuffs 2h proll,bit
.Halt stock speculation, proved 5 SSSfiX 1,
of fuel, and prohibit cold storaM w. e pr,e
food more than ten months S6S to hol
Resolutions introduced in conernaa . ,
vestigate proposed price increlses hUl ln'
sugar, clothing and coffee, and ascer t
'flour prices have increased. tala V
STATE AND MUNICIPAL TWN TO rrp
PROFITEERS l"B
Charles W. Bryan in a statement issi.o,i i
ng the special session of the 5
lature urged specific state legislation ? ft
with merchants and middlemen who ?
ing exorbitant prices for the necessaries of S"
Mr. Bryan's recommendations for stain ,5
municipal action to supplement the federal
action are in part as follows:
"The fcderal.govornment is being besieged for
relief and is undertaking to do its part to thij.
tie the profiteer, and every state and every nm.
,icipality should immediately take action to co
operate with the federal authorities in strike
at the crime of marking up the prices on the
necessaries of life.
'.'The action of the federal government in sell
ing war supplies direct to the people v. ill help
.as far as it goes, but that only gives relief oa
a limited number of articles to a limited nun
ber of people and only, for a very limited time
That, however, does not stop the cause cf thft
trouble or prosecute the offenders, It does, how
eye?, point the way that the various .states and
municipalities' can co-operate in a manner that
is broad enough to meet the conditions and glre
permanent relief.
"To answer the many inquiries I have re
ceived as to what specific and immediato action
can be taken by the members of the Nebraska
legislature', I would outline several remedies, all
of which are either in effect or being put into
effect by states or municipalities of this country,
These suggestions follow:
"First The legislature should enact a law
requiring, all dealers in foods, fuels, and all
.othei -necessaries of life, to take out a state
license,- and provide that the license should be
cancelled and the dealer compelled to discon
tinue business whenever found to be dealing un
fairly with the public by what is known as prof
iteering, or charging moro than the reasonable
profit.
"This is the plan suggested by the joint com
mittee of the California legislature appointed at ,
their recent session of their legislature for the
purpose of investigating the high cost of living
and profiteering.
TRADE COMMISSION
"Second A state trade commission should
immediately be provided for by the legislature,
composed of three members appointed by the
governor with the advice and consent of the
legislature. The duties of this commission would
be to inquire into all matters relating to the
sale of all commodities and conditions affecting
the prices of the -necessaries of life, including
food, fuel, ice, clothing, and such other com
modities as the commissions should see fit
investigate. The commission should Inquire into
all .matters relating to cost and production,
wholesale and retail prices, and the metnwj
pursued- in the conduct of the business or aw
person, persons, firms or corporations engage
in the production, transportation or sale or w
commodities, or of any business which reia
to or affects the same. The commission siiouw
be given powei- to summon witnesses In tne
manner nhat summons are issued in cnw.
cases, etc. r nds slu.ld be provided for tiio
of the commission, and the result of t w t
mission's investigation should be PWnPy,? tta
to the public an.1 a full repo-t furnished to in
governo and legislat ro ffer5
"The state commission should luue i
similar to the federal trade commission,
to supplement the work of tho nation
A commission of this kind has been c
within the past four days by the 8i ,B
Massachusetts at a special sessI" JBlature that
governor recommended to the iefe
it take immediate action for creating ; ini
sion of this kind, as an emergency t.
(Continued on page A'
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