South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-19
Government Officials Find
That Present Laws Do
Not Cover the Sit
uation.
FIND ONLY LAWS OF
STATES ARE VIOLATED
Few Prosecutions Are Expect
ed Since General Crusade
Against Spectators is
Found Impossible.
International News Service

International News Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. l9 - The
much heralded government crusade
20 end the high cost Of living has
come 20 an untimely end II is ex-
peeted that there will be a few
scattered prosecutions for conspir-
acy to keep up prices in certain
cities. But the wholesale arrests
and prosecutions previously prom
Used cannot take place.
The department Of justice now
has discovered that il cannot reach
those responsible. They have been
careful not 20 violate any laws
dealing with interstate commerce.
or covered by existing federal law
Neither have the food wholesalers
violated the antitrust laws except
ing in isolated instances, SO far a.
Eow can he ascertained.
In nearly every case where the
agents OF the department Of justice
have investigated they have found
that If any crime whatever was
committed it was against the state
instead OF against the national laws.
The majority Of prosecutions, as a
result. are up 20 the local authori-
ties in nearly every big city in the
country.
Powers Arc Limited
The department, after looking
over the ground and finding out that
prosecutions were impossible be-
cause few Of them constituted vio-
1af Of Low
ask congress for additional legisla-
ton. But when the situation was
canvassed by the house and senate
leaders IL was found that the pow
ers Of congress also were limited by
the constitution. As a result it now
is admitted that there is little that
The federal government can do in
the matter
However. advices 10 the depart
ment of agriculture and the federal
trade commission indicate that
there has been gradual falling of
i'm prices of necessary food stuffs.
Although the aggregate result to
date has been small, il is believed
that it Will continue.
To Save Property.
The senate commerce commission
today took up the problem OF pro-
'iding a comprehensive national
flood control system 90 save hun
dreds of lives and millions OF dol
lars worth OF property destroyed
annually by floods
Bitter opposition has developed
toward the bill appropriating S45.-
100000 tor flood control on the
Mississippi river between the mouth
of the Ohio and the gulf OF Mexico.
and S5,6OO.O0O on the Sacramento
river in California Sen. Newlands
Of Nevada. chairman Of the senate
Interstate commerce committee.
who has for years led a tight for a
scientific and complete system OF
river rule and water conservation.
served notice on the committee to-
day that he would oppose the
measure 10 the last ditch ON the
senate floor
II the committee votes 20 recon-
mend the passage OF the bill il is
doubtful whether 10 can be nut
through the senate az this session
sen. Newlands is determined 10 fH-
buster against it II no other method
can be found 20 block H. He de-
clares the hill is wholly inade0uote
providing only for the NIssissippi
and Sacramento rivers when there
is almost as urgent need for flood
control on many other WATERWAYS
throughout the country