The sun., 1916-09-03
PRICE RAISERS FACE
TWO PROSECUTIONS
Swami and Z. s. Attorney
Marshall to Proceed Against
Food Dealers.

Prosecution Is in prospect for dealers
who raised the prices Of fooa supplies
arbitrarily and artiicially when the rail-
roads announced embargoes IN ship
ments and when there was the possibility
of a ood shortage o~vertaking New York.
Last night. as the eight hour bill passed
the Senate. they found themselves con-
fronted with big financial losses also.
II not practical ruin. They now face q
triple dilemma.
In the investigations Of the week II
has been found hat hose who held up
carloads Of supplies that normally would
meet this c!ty's daily needs did 40 for
the purpose OF profting BY the shortage
o strike would entail. The Donnelly anti
trust act and the Sherman law will be
invoked against them at once.
A heavy cash penalty threatens these
merchants. When the strike seemed in
evitable they went TO the supply sources
n at figures far above the normal Oh
,a!ned options. These options now rep
resent a legal obligation and will have
20 be met.
In addition these men who hoped to
corner the o markets now And that
with all the channels Of freight de-
livery reopened their storage simply has
= S''b I ~ toNt
themselves from further loss they will
have TO unload their boarded supplies on
the market and necessarily take prices
below the ordinary standard.
Public 70 Deneat.
Thus. II Is pointed out. the public will
ga!n several benefits. the mora one o.
having these culpr!ts punished and the
material one Of . temporary flooded
market with lower prices. The pressure
is pas, now. and the general expectation
IL that he cost OF living again will find
the level 1t held before the crisis ap.
peared.
However. tho fever OF greed va. or
until midnight last night In all IN.
shops. stalls and markets that meet tn,
saturday demand. In nan OF the com
nodi,ies advances as high as twely,
cents were noted above the prices Of tn,
week before.
Tho wheels Of prosecution were start
ed yesterday by District Attorne,
Swami. who sent the following letter I,
members Of the Live Poultry Mems As
sociation:
'Gentlemen-A delegation from III,
Federation OF Hebrew Retail Koshel
Butchers rave lodged n complaint I,
this office 10 the effect tina you an,
other wholesale poultry dealers hav,
combined and raised the price OF poul
try. in violation Of the Donnel!y anti
trus. act.
Rather than present this matter be
fore the Grand Jury without giving 70,
an opportunity to be heard. / will a.
point Tuesday morning. September &
at IL O'Clock. when you may call. IL 20
wish. and explain your connection witt
this illegal combination"
L. =. 10 Proceed Also.
Not only Is the county District Attor
ney on the trail Of price iifters, bu
United States Attorney II. Snowde
Marshall IL contemplating proreedin
agains, these and other men. The In
au.ry Ia not 10y any means 10 be cor
fined TO the kosher chicken dealers. hu
IL TO extend into every line of produce.
Joseph Hartigan. Commissioner G
Weights and Measures. with his inspec
tors. has gathered q mass OF materia
all OF a specific nature, which he will pu
In the hands OF tho prosecutors.
For instance. his information agains
the men cited for mex Tuesdays ar
pearance In Mr.. SWANS office is tina
between Tuesday and Saturday the pric
per pound on chickens was raised twcly
cents.
Here IL a table that affords an insigt
into the imitation Of food prices a. dill
closed in Harttgan's report: