Weekly journal-miner., 1916-01-05
TAXES MEASURES ID ELIMINATE
 M|DDLEMEN
AUSTRIA ENACTS LAWS PROHIBITING GAIN IN THE SALE OF NECESSI- TIES OF LIFE.

VIENNA. Jan. 4-( Correspondence of The Associated Press.l-Further measures for the elimination of the "middleman whose participation in commerce does not add to the value or facilitate the distribution of reccs- sitics" are being adopted throughout the Austro- Hungarian monarchy. Not alone are new laws for this purpose being enacted. but the provisions al ready made by the civil anI military bodies are now being enforced with a rigor that gives no quarter to of lenders.
 Laws in force and in the course of enactment provide that nobody with in Austria and Hungary may buy an article of necessity and then sell it again for the sake of personal gain. This affects transactions in foodstuffs especially. When the European war broke out it was found that there were many who wished to profit by it through the ''cornering' of cer- tain supplies. In little time the cost O living went up alarmingly. increas' cs ranging form 50 to 400 per cent. To curb this tendency the govern ment itself took such action as its power and scope permitted. It was found. however. that the legislative bodies of Austria and Hungary, had to act in the matter. Suitable laws were adopted. and these are now being so ampliiied as to close the loopholes which various actions at law have disclosed.
 A recent ruling in an Austrian SUI pcrior court in this city is of inter est. bccausc it shows both the letter and spirit of the ''anti-speculation laws" which have been adopted. In this case three Galicians mad bought a relatively small quantity of foodstufi. mostly grain. At the trial it was shown that the three dealers had sold ttc articles again in the same town. i1 one instance wheat had been rc-soll to its original own- CT. A profit had been made. and slight increase in the price of food made from the articles in question, had resulted. it was proven.
 The court ruled that under the law this was an oficnSc, because the sale and resale of the articles had been made by the defendants with a profit to which they were not cn- titled. having adlcd neither to the value oi the articles. nor facilitated their distribution. They dad. in fact. found thc judge. rendered distribution more difficult by holding the articles tor a certain time.
 The defense was that the accused had acted within their constitutional rights by buying and selling as they had done. and that they hal not hampercd distribution, because they had at all times been ready to sell. But tnc prosecution obliged the de icndants to make the admission that they had held for higher price. whcrcupon the court found that this was now an oiiensc. because to hold necessities for the gaining oi profit, through the operation Of the law Of supply and demand was illegal.
 Heavy penalties oi Imprisonment and fines were imposed upon the three dealers.
 Austria did not alvay, have such a law. Taking this view of ccono' mics is distinctly result of the war the spirit that nobody snail gain al the expense oi the others when "thc other" is likely to be at the front. risking his life for his country and