Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-26
ANTITRUST LAW
ON PRICE RAISERs
United States Moves TO Indict
Those Responsible for
Boosting Food Cost.
LOOK FOR EARLY ACTION
Federal Investigators at Work In Hur.
Der Of Cities Are About
Ready to Report

Washington, d. C., Aug. 2s.-The d.
partment OF justice probably will IN
short time seek to have indicted deal
ers in foodstuffs who are involved bv
the evidence which has been accumu.
lated by the investigation into food
prices ordered by President Wilson
| last week.
The indictments are 20 be sought
under the Sherman antitrust act. ana
| the government will charge that the
men against whom the law is invoked
engaged in agreements to fix food
prices at abnormal levels, which
amounted to a combination TO restrain
trade.
Officials of the department would
not give any detail as to the identity
or character of the corporations or in
dividuals against whom the govern.
ment is about TO proceed.
1t was stated authoritatiyely tina,
certain threads of evidences discov.
cred by the preliminary general inves-
tigation, begun by the department Of
Justice and the department Of COM
MERGE last week, have been developed
rapidly as a result of the special at
tention conferred upon them. Officials
stated that they expected the federal
Investigators would bring the matters
to a head within two weeks at the out
side.
The attorney general is so we'll
pleased with the progress which he
considers has been made in reaching
the men. responsible for the alleged IN.
warranted increase in prices that he
is not now of a mind TO recommend to
President Wilson that new Legislation
be enacted for this purpose.
Grain Congestion Relieved.
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo
said that a great deal of progress had
been made in relieving the congestion
of grain in elevators and on freight
cars at the gulf and Atlantic ports
within the past two weeks. He said
that approximately 100000 bushels
had been moved from these ports in
this time. The movement from Gal
weston, where the congestion was most
severe, has amounted to almost TO-
100000 bushels.
The federal reserve board is keeping
closely in touch with this situation.
President A DeIano. a member of the
board, is giving special attention to the
subject and complies a daily state
ment of the situation existing at each
important export point.
AS a result of the comparatively
heavy movement which has taken
place in the last few days 1t seems
likely that the embargo against grain
shipments into the ports will be lifted
completely before long. Already the
embargo has been partially lifted az
New Orleans, Galveston and Balti
more.
Wikerson Is Busy at Chicago.
Chicago. Ill, Aug. 26.-District At
torney Wilkerson returned during the
day from Pentwater, Mich, and or
dered the food inquiry completed with
all possible speed. He said report
on the matter probably will be formu-
lated this week for transmission to
Assistant District Attor-
neys Albert L. Hopkins. Garfield
Charles, and David d. Stansbury were
to complete the several
phases of the inquiry, so that report
can be rushed through.
The municipal markets commission
and the unemployment commission are
to combine in campaign on wartime
food prices and in aiding the destitute
during the winter A plan was an
nounced by Alderman Lawley for the
unified action of the two bodies in a.
leviating the suffering of those Wao
may be affected by any depression
from the European war. The unen'
ployment commission has S20,OpV
which was appropriated by the council
asst winter which has not been usee'
The markets commission plans to CO
operate with the unemployment COM
mission in using part of this fund 10
esta blish five city markets where FOOD
stuffs may be purchased at prices con
under the rates now in force
among retail merchants.