Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-28
Factors in High
 Cost of Living
EXPOSED BY ATTORNEY GENERAL
 GREGORY
COURTS LoATH TO ACT
Believes Thorough Enforcement of An ti-Trust Law the Only Corrective Measure-A Few Railroads in Con troI of Anthracite Coal.

Washington, Feb 27.-Senator Bo- rah's resolution to provide $6,o00, 900 1 for government relief in the food situ- ation went today to the senate appro- priations committee. Attorney Gen
 eral Gregory wrote Senator Borah that | the department of Justice could only cope with the situation through the antitrust law and pointed out that courts are persuaded with difficulty q apply it.
 Court Action Necessary. fThe executive department alone cannot enforce the law" wrote the att torney-general. 'Tt must have the CO., operation of the federal courts. I re- gret to say that number of federal judges have been and are still appar- ently reluctant to enforce the Sherman act.
 'T do not mean to charge that they deliberately attempt to obstruct the will of congress. I assure that their views of public policy do not agree with those of congress expressed in the Sherman act and that unconsci- ously they permit their own views as to what the law should be to affect written"
 Trivial Fines Inflicted.
 The attorney-general cited the case against the American Can Company and the case against the plumbing supplies trust. where trivial fines were
 Attorney General Gregory wrote Senator Borah that in the depart ment$ investigation of alleged con- spiracies to raise food prices, no evil dence to justify indictments except in two or three cases. had been discov- cred up to this time. Tine inquiry, however, is continuing.
 Government Supervision.
 MT. Gregory suggested that traders forming associations be required tc as- l1Ir-l lor, of eey@u lfeT7f condolences of their prices when chaI- lenged; that extortionate prices in in- terstate commerce be made an offense even if not result of conspiracy or monopoly, and that the great stock yards and produce exchanges be under much closer sS0yernment supervision and regulation Warehouses, he sug- gested. should be required to make pe- riodicaI reports of storage.
 The attorney-g generals letter to Sen ator Borah says at the outset:
 T will ask you to bear in mind that there are two broad limitations upon the power of this department in the field in question.
 Selfish Impulse of Traders.
 "First-Increases in prices, brought about not by agreement, conspiracy or monopoly but by a common selfish inn pulse of traders to take advantage of times, are not punishable under any existing federal law, no matter hom | lacking in economic justi- l fcation, no matter how evtortionate
 Second-Sales of commodities by re- | tailers to consumers in the various | cities and communities generally fall | the field of interstate com merce and therefore outside the juris- | diction of the federal government | Within these limitations the depart | ment of justice has brought to bear its | full energies"
 Referring to the coal situation. the letter says:
 "One of the principal inquiries has | me to one obvious defect in the exist
 Railroads Control Anthracite Coal.
 The contP)I of anthracite coWd which is the principal domestic fuel n the east. has been centered in a few railroads. thus uniting the func- ions of production and transportation. To no small extent, the same situa- ion exists with respect to bitumiAous .oa1 The Massachusetts commission 'n the high cost of living. in a report published a few weeks ago after point ng out the evil consequences of this made the following recom- 
 Because of the conditions here your commission believes hat it is not only to the interest of the he general welfare of large sections if the United States that the produc- ion and marketing of anthracite coal hould be freed entirely from the con ( rol or influence of the rilroads that , re the initial carriers of | ,