The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-15
j. 5. ORDERS
PROBE OF FOOD
PRICES HERE
District Attorneys Office Told
to Make Thorough Inquiry
of All Increases
WILL PROSECUTE IF
LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED
Citizens With Complaints In
vited to Make Them Known
To Officials

Uncle Sans servants In Detroit are
preparing to mobilize their forces for
battle against old General High Cost
of Living. They will also start q
general attack all along the line
against the generals alley, Col. Eu-
ropean War Excuse. whose alleged
guerilla operations against the army
under Gen. Ultimate Consumer have
brought down upon him the wrath or
the protector OF American interests.
Assistant United States District At
torney J. Edward Bland received
telegram, late Thursday night, from
the attorney-general's department In
Washington, instructing him to take
Immediate steps to conduct an invest
igation for the purpose Of ascertain.
| ing whether the price Of foodstuffs
has been increased In Detroit under
the plea that the European wars have
increased the cost Of production or
made the articles more difficult to
obtain.
Mr.. Bland was also instructed to
pay particular attention TO ascertain
whether the increase in prices Is the
result OF any combination either OF
retailers or wholesalers. II he finds
evidence sufficient to convince him
that q combination In restraint OF
trade exists. he 10 instructed to bring
prosecution under the Sherman law.
A. q result of the notification from
Washington, the Offices Of the dis
trict attorney win be thrown open to
the public for the purpose OF receiv-
Ing complaints as to increases In
prices since the war began. Anyone
who has a specific and just complaint
Il invited to submit II to the district
attorney. All complaints will be in
vestigated carefully by attaches OF
the local office, and, IL the work
proves especially difficult, by special
Investigators sent on from Washing
ton or transferred to Detroit temper
arily for the purpose.
We've been handed mighty big
job" said Mr.. Bland, Friday morn
ing. 1--WE propose to go after things
right away, and to find out just what
prices are being charged and what
relation they bear to prices charged
before the war broke out.
1T il apparent that there have
been increases. / know that, but
what we want to find out is the rela-
ton these prices bear to others and
whether the increases are the result
Of any sort Of Illegal combination
which can be made the basis of prose
cutions under the Sherman law.
you may tell the public for me
that we will hold open house to re-
ceive complaints and that every one
received which Is worthy of investi-
CATION will be given careful attention.
0ouging Of citizens by means of the
mere excuse Of a war across the wa
tiers, has to stop, according to the
government, and we're here to help
them stop II In Detroit"
1t Is altogether probable that spe-
cial investigators from the depart
ment OF justice in Washington will
come to Detroit and several other
cities, conducting an Independent
probe to ascertain whether there is
q national combination In restraint OF
trade which is reaping unusually
large profits from the European
squabble.
Whether the high prices charged
since the war are to be laid at the
door of the retailer or wholesaler will
be another object Of the investiga-
ton.