The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-08-14
Ardmore, Friday, August "A, 1914.
THE CRIME OF 1914.

The greatest crime OF the year has
been the wanton exercise of greed in
raising the prices of food supplies of
America.
President Wilson is to be congrat
ulated upon his ordering an invest-
cation to ascertain if the change in
prices is iustifable. When the re-
port of that investigation is made pub
lie. it will reveal some facts that will
result in putting the large packing
plants and also the big jobbers in bad
repute, and will be the beginning of
the destruction of the big companies
that control the price of food. Not
necessarily the destruction of the com
panies themselves, but destruction
of the power they have.
When the government experts make
their investigation, they will find that
on last Monday the packers went into
the markets and beat the price of hogs
down and they will find that on the
next day, last Tuesday, they raised the
price of meats. These experts will find
that not a pound of these food sup
plies can be shipped to the war zone
of the world they will find that the
prices were forced up without cause,
they will find that the large companies
are pocketing millions of wealth which
they are not earning. Not at glance
can we apprehend what it means.
There are hundred million Ameri-
cans whose living expenses have been
advanced, one hundred millions of
people every day contribute to fund
TO enrich those who control the food
supply of the country, a few cents
from each one aCCumulates vast
sum that can in turn be used to fur
ther speculative interests in controll-
ing other lines of foods These experts
will find that pork loins advanced
as much as Sl2c a pound, (However
this product later cased back SCI.
They will find that lard advanced
S1.S7ls, salt pork, hams, bacon, etc,
advanced 2c, sugar, beans, canned
goods and other supplies have ad-
Vanced Not because of the demand
of export trade. because not a dol
lars worth could be shipped abroad,
not because there was scarcity in
our country, but the advance was due
TO the advantage taken of the excite
ment over the declaration of war in
Europe The packers and jobbers act
ing in conjunction sent out word that
prices were climbing, men were urged
To buy before other advances were
made, every merchant began to stock
up, the country Wholesalers began to
place big orders, the retailers began
To urge their customers to lay in a !
supply before further advances were
made and the result has been that
sales were greatly increased and vast
sums were built up in unearned prof
its. The plan worked we'll If the steal
were stopped today the millions have
been made.
Who has been hurt by the crime
Of 1914? Every purchaser has paid
the penalty, but the man who has been
hurt is the man who is living on the
bread Tine. There will be fewer clothes
there will be less fuel, there will be
less TO pay for other necessities in
many homes of our own people this
winter There will be cries for aid and
the well-todo who can pay S. to SO
more on grocery bills, without feeling
it, will be given an additional tax
in helping to care for those who can.
not care for themselves.
The remedy to be applied is gov
ernment control OF prices. That is
the immediate remedy that can be
applied. The member Of congress