Evening star., 1914-08-18
LINES T|GH1EN0N
PRICE BOOSTERS
Grand Juries An Over Country
Follow Example Set by
Washington.
RAILROAD employees GIVE
THEIR TESTIMONY TODAY
President and His Cabinet Discuss
Advanced Cost Of Living-Evi.
dences Of Combines.

dences OF Combines.
Rapidly the governments nets are be-
ing frightened about the sources OF high
food prices and evidence IL beginning to
come In to the Department Of Justice OF
manipulations OF food prices. Grand
5uries all over the country are beginning
to get into the investigations. following
the start made by Washington.
Tho local grand Jury continued its ses-
sions today. and listened to the stories
Of railroad employees to the effect that
just as large shipments Of foods were
coming in now as before prices began to
soar.
One important point which will be
called to the attention Of the local
grand Jury. according to the Depart
ment Of Justice. will be the manipula-
ton of prices in local drug store
With a liberal supply of olive oil on
drug store has raised the retail price
from 50 to go cents q pint, although
the oil Is being imported from neutral
territory.
The department also was asked to IN
vesttgate the increases during the last
year of at least 100 per cent on differ
ent articles sold by drug firm having
and with branches in this city. The
departments Informant asserts that
the stores cut prices until competition
IL removed, when prices are unduly
advanced.
Discussion at White House.
President Wilson and his cabinet dis
cussed at today's cabinet meeting the
increased price Of foodstuffs and other
materials in the United States since the
opening Of the European war. Attorney
General McReynolds having been called
| upon by the President for Investigation
and a report as to whether legal steps
| declared to have been guilty of specuia-
ton In raising prices when there was no
occasion for doing SO, this accusation ap-
plying especially to hour manufacturers
and others who jumped prices OF Their
| products when the first news Of the wal
| broke.
It is the understanding that II the At
| torney General finds he cannot bring
criminal prosecutions against those whom
his special agents believe to be RESPONSE
| BILE for high prices in certain lines, the
President will send a special message to
| that will prevent price manipulation dur
ing times like the present That the De-
partment Of Justice will take prompt ana
decisive action when its Investigations
| have been completed was admitted today,
! II existing laws are found to be sufacienf
| to cover the cases that arc revealed.
Dealers' Contention Not Sustained.
The contention Of commission mer-
chants and others that the increase In
certain food prices In this city was
the result Of a shortage in shipments
Of such foods to this city 10 not borne
out in testimony before the grand jury
which is investigating the increases,
according to information given out
today.
Several employees Of the railroads en-
tering this city, who are in direct
charge Of handling freight shipments
arriving here, have appeared before
the grand jury or are to give testi,
that body just what shipments have
arrived in the freight yards here within
the past three weeks or month.
Assistant United States Attorney 3:
United States Attorney Clarence r. Will
SON in the investigation before the
grand jury. upon orders from Attorney
General McReynolds. stated today that
cipally among the commission mer-
chants.
He said It has been contended by CONF
mission merchants and others that they
have not been receiving as large ship
ments Of foodstuffs as they did about q
month ago. and 1t was for that reason
that tho railroad employees were sum-
moned to tell the grand jury Just what
and whether or not there has been .
falling of in such shipments.
The prosecuting attorney stated that
from the Information he had received
A.. AIrA v,oft a av1f
for the past three weeks or a month
have showed no change over the previous
month.
No new witnesses were called to testify
who were summoned for yesterday had
not completed their testimony.
Price-Boosting Scheme Revealed.
From a special investigator Of the
Department of Justice in the middle
west comes the important discovery Of
price-boosting by sugar producers and
refiners and by millers. A circular an
nouncing the increase in the price OF
crop, has also come into the hands Of
the departments investigators.
From the agent OF the department IN
the middle west comes the Information
sugar producers and reflners have COM
bined to raise prices: and that an as
sociation Of dour producers in the
state issues bulletins to members on
all mill products. While the price bull
1etins contain no explanation Of the
purpose for which issued. according to
the agent, and the millers individually
declare that the prices are not made
by the league, evidence gathered by
the agent shows that the league prices
are made the prices asked by the in
dividuals.
Paid $3.50 for Release Of Contract.
4 circular letter issued BY spool cot
ton company Of New York. announcing
a 20 per cent advance In price on numer-
ous lines of spool cotton, to take effect
August Is. has been received at the De-
par artment Of Justice. The wholesale firm
which transmits the letter states that In
the face OF a large cotton crop and the
lack of ocean transportation, 1t Is unable
to appreciate the necessity for an advance
In price of spool cotton. |
A letter received at tho department |
from a voluntary correspondent in In |
diana reports that a grocer at Colum- |
bus was paid $3.50 by New York firm |
upon the cancellation of the contract
which he had with them for q carload
Of sugar.
wholesalers and distributors now being |
sent into the department IL one from |
q large firm In New York. issued to the |
trade, announcing an advance OF 8
cents per pound in the list price Of teas |
Of all grades and sizes.
II n nTIIFTllI0nlF