Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-08
LAY HIGH PRICES
T0SPECULAT0RS
Criminal Combination to In
crease Living Cost Charged
by Federal Probers.
DRASTIC ACTION MAY RESULT 7
Investigators Have Records of
Men Suspected; Officials
Maintain Secrecy.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 7.-lnforma-
tion gathered from many sources by
government officials conducting tho
nationwide inquiry into the high cost
of living pointed with increasing di-
rectness tonight to the conclusion by
the officials that the soaring prices Of
certain necessities of life are due in
part at least to the manipulations of
Spectators who have combined to
force quotations upward
These combinations are believed by
the government Investigators to be
criminal IN character. rather spasmod-
ic and rather short lived.
81 ocial attention is given just now
to alleged price manipulation in the
so-called coal corner which recently
resulted in sending prices to a panic
level investigation of the high
price of coal. hardly yet begun. has
already convinced some officials that
there was no warrant whatever for
Sl2 coal in Boston and New York 9TH
er than the activity of these alleged
combinations. Whether men who
profitod most can he punished under
federal laws is said to he still prob
leniItical.
No Predictions.
with the investigation In its in
farcy, officials were unwilling To pre-
dict tonight where Il might lead. The
activities of certain men, however, are
known TO be under surveillance and
the fifty-odd Investigators in the
| field have been checking transactions
during the past few months by these
men.
At the same time officials max,
clear their conviction that no smal
part of the rise In prices is due TO nat
ural economic causes. MANY of these
causes it is pointed out, lie far be-
meath the surface such conditions n.
the international balance of trade and
| the amount of currency in circulation
having "A direct bearing on the situa-
ton, altho not generally understood
Chicago the Center.
Present activities of the depart
! ments investigators are understood 4
center about Chicago. Trade boards
butter and egg exchanges. produce, su
gar, coffee and other food exchanges
it was authortatively announced. hav
not been Investigated.
Primarily the general Investigation
by the government viii. be confined Z
foodstuffs and coal II Is said, but |
| leads are uncovered other Commodi
ties, such as leather and clothing. vii
be investigated.
At the outset certain phases of tn
investigation have developed interest
ing sdelights which have n genera
bearing on the situation.
Exports Blamed.
The advance in the price of beans
nearly 300 per cent in some instance
is attributed to some extent TO unu5
ually large shipments of beans to Bel
cium by the commission for relief II
Belgium. The butter price advance
has been normal. the investigation ha
disclosed. but eggs are said to be un
warrantably high
Roughly. officials estimate the al
vance i'm foodstuffs during the year "A
A. per cent. and it was pointed ou
that the department Of agriculture MAJ
reported an appropriate average short
age Of Is per cent IN staple grain an
produce crops. Attention was Gale
10 the departments estimate based o
Years of research that the ratio be
tween advance in prices and shortag
Of crops was approximately three |
, Cne. Thus n Is per cent shortage,
was said. normally would result in
AZ per cent increase In priccs-eNictl
what officials estimate the present ad
, vance to he.