Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-13
GOVERNOR HARDING PUTS IN.
VESTlGATiON UP TO ATTOR-
NEY GENERAL HAVNER.
CONVINCED THERE Is
UNLAWFUL COMBINATION
Assured Of Co. operation of County At.
torneys-H ardins Says There Is Too
Much Difference in Price Producer
Receives and Consumer Pays-Oe-
Tense Council Also Acts.

~pBCldl 10 L
Des Moines, July Ex-Governor w.
L. Harding and Attorney General HaN-
ner have started an official probe Of
fuel and food prices.
The governor yesterday addressed an
official communication to the attorney
general directing his attention to con-
ditions and declaring that price con-
ditions to the consumer make it almost
conclusive that there is unlawful COM
bination in this state" The attorney
general. however, has already been
doing some work along this line on his
own account and both his office and
that Of the governor will join forces IN
making the probe as thorough as pos
sible.
The governor took the matter up
with the county attorneys and district
judges at their meeting at Council
Bluffs and was assured of the coop
carlton of these officials. Attorney
General Havner yesterday began send
ing out letters to the county attorneys
on the matter. II is recognized thal
the attorney general win his force OF
special agents and organization VIII
be in a position to make a most thor
ough probe of food and fuel price con-
troll.
Harding Outlines Situation.
In his letter to the attorney general
Governor Harding says:
Your attention is directed TO GER
tain matters that are vital to our peo-
pie at this time. l refer to the price
Of fuel food and other commodities.
There is too great a difference De
tween the price which the original pro-
Queer receives and that which the ultl-
mate consumer pays. There is such
uniformity of price charged that II
seems to me that it is imperative that
some action by the state be taken 10
bring relief to our people.
The burden of war on our citizens
is heavy enough without the extraordi-
nary profits that are now being I'M
posed Federal Investigations have de-
veIoped that there are national COM
binarions. Price conditions to the con-
suner make it almost conclusive that
there is unlawful combination in this
state Therefore something should De
done to relieve the situation.
THE average wage Garner is finding
it almost impossible to pay the toll
that is exacted and live during this
season Of plenty. What it will be dur
ing the winter time is beyond thought.
Some are going to the front and leav-
ing dependents to struggle as best
they can. The state must see 10 II
that this situation is not taken ad-
vantage of by pirates.
you have at your command special
agents and money to make investiga-
ton and statutes by which violatoS
may be prosecuted. This question was
presented by this office to the county
attorneys and district judges in their
session at Council Bluffs in the latter
days of June. Both have replied and
stated that they are aware of the un-
usual condition and 7 am sure from
possible. This office stands ready to
| lend every assistance possible
In his reply to this letter the attorney
| general assured the governor that he
| was in hearty sympathy with this
| movement and had in fact already done
some work along the line suggested.
| The letters to the county attorneys
| which went from the attorney general
| office yesterday, called their attention
| TO the laws under which parties guilty
| Of the charges made in the governor
! letter might be prosecuted.
Defense Council Acts.
The industrial committee Of the
| state council of defense Of which Col
n. P. French, Of Davenport, is chair
| man, has already started an inquiry
into the coal situation. The first re-
| port on It's investigations will be MADE
today when committee from the coal
| operations Of the state meets with the
| council committee. The coal operators
| have been asked to furnish figures on
the cost of producing coal and also on
the supply and demand in the state
Members of the state board of con-
| troll the state educational institutions
and other state officials will meet with
| the defense council and coal operators
committee this afternoon and go owe!
! the coal situation.
The board Of control has been unable
as yet to make coal contracts for the
state institutions for next fall and win
ter use. II present prices are required
| the state will have to pay from $780,
900 to s225.o00 more for this winters
coal supply than heretofore. The stats
has been spending close, to 100000 fol
the coal for state institutions. 1t will
now probably have to spend about hall
| million. Thus far coal operators have
| ref,,ce5 tn bi5yop state business