Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-12-08
RECENT PINCH IN COAL SUPPLY
AND ITS RESULTANT PRICE
ADVANCES ALSO TO BE
INVESTIGATED.
PROSECUTION URGED where
ANY LAWS ARE VIOLATED
Officials to Determine Actual Cause Of
Rapid Rise in Focdstuffs and Fuel.
Propose Legislation to REM
edy Situation and Prevent
Ito Recurrence.

Investigation of the high cost of liv.
Ing has begun to take definite form
with Indications that it will be one
Of tho most comprehensive ever un.
dertaken and will extend to every sec
ton Of the United States.
Not only is a sweeping inquiry into
the cause of the soaring cost of food.
stuffs contemplated, but the recent
pinch In the coal supply and it's re-
sultant price advances also will be
investigated.
President Wilson took under consid.
GRAFTON preliminary reports, which
with others, yet to come, will form
the basis for recommendations he may
make to Congress.
Dozen Speeches on Subject.
A dozen: speeches ON the subject
were made In the House. Several res.
olutfons, proposing inquiries, were re-
ferred to the interstate and foreign
commerce committee of which Repre-
sentative Adamson. who is opposed to
embargoes, is the chairman.
Department of Justice officials held
all.day conferences with members of
the federal trade commission and Dis.
trtct Attorney Anderson of Boston, In
charge Of the departments fnvestiga.
ton, who is here to formulate def.
mite plan Of conducting the nation.
wide inquiry. About so picked ,nves.
tigators are reported to he gathering
data which will determine the attor-
ney generals course Of action.
Commerce Body to Give Data.
The Interstate Commerce commits.
sion probably will be called upon to
aid by furnishing data relative to
shipments of foodstuffs. Grand fury
Investigations at New York or Chi.
cago. or both, Of the reasons for ris.
ing prices are said to be still under
consideration.
With the program still In process
Of formation, there were increasing
indications that officials were consid-
ering the situation from three ANGLES.
namely:
differentiation Of the actual
cause OF the rapid rise in foodstuffs
and coal.
For Vigorous Prosecution.
"2-Vigorous prosecution of persons
or firms, if any, who, by violation of
existing laws have contributed to the
upward trend of prices.
"S-Enactment of legislation to
remedy the present situation and pre-.
vent its recurrence"
Congress Looks for Remedy.
Proposals in Congress looking to q
remedy for the problem ranged from
. discussion of the omnibus hatch.
cries bill which would provide for fish
hatcheries in 20 states, to declara.
t1on by Chairman Henry of the rules
committee after a conference with the
President, that he thought Congress
would conduct an Investigation of tho
high cost Of living.
They embraced resolutions by Rep
cesentatives Borland and Dill provid-
ing for general Investigations, a reso-
luton by Representative Campbell Of
Kansas which would provide for an
embargo on boots, shoes and manufac-
tured leather goods and a bill by Rep
resentative SABBATH of Illinois. de-
Digned to aid federal employees to
meet the situation by increasing from
10 to 20 per cent the salaries of those
earning up to $500 annually.