Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-19
STATE LAWS ARE AMPLE
TO END FOOD TROUBLES
Local Authorities Can Adjust Many
Complaints Resulting From
boarding.
KNoTTY PROBLEM is, SOLVED
Federal Officials Put Matter Directly
Up to Each Locality Where Grand
Jury Has Power to Act for the
People.

because practically all the COM
plants fled against the alleged hoard
ing OF foodstuffs deal with purely local
situations in the various States. and
the Federal Trade Commission has no
power To inauguratc prosecutions. nor
can il deal with PROBLEMS which arc
clearly intrastatc or local, Federal au-
thorities have just placed the solution
OF this problem frankly up to the
States. This situation has been puz-
zlins those in authority for some time.
The Virginia Council of Defense has
received a number of requests for in
formation as to what can or should
be done in connection with the hoard
ing of food. the contention being made
that distributors. and consumers
we'll arc holding great quantities of
foodStuffs, and that this practice Is
already having an undesirable effect
on prices
LAWS OF EACH STATE
CAN PROTECT PEOPLE
The council received from Wash
inEton yesterday statement which
answers many OF the questions, but at
the same time leaves the solution of
the problem with State officers. The
statement is as follows:
Protests against boarding and de-
mands for the prosecution Of hoarders.
spectators and dealers in food and
other necessary commodities are con-
Commission. These are sent from all
parts of the country. The majority Of
them deal with purely local situations
in the various States.
The Federal Trade Commission has
no power 10 inaugurate prosecutions.
nor il deal with problems which
are clearly intrastate or local The
legal machinery of the government can
not be used to see Justice done in local
or merely State situations where there
is no interstate principles involved.
and where there are adequate means
OF redress within the States them
selves.
Nearly every State In tho Union has
laws which protect its people from
hoari:nEs. poolings. price -lXine COM
hinaticns either express or implied. ans
from cxtort:ons and agreements in re-
straint "f trade. These laws cover
practically every situation which has
arisen or is likely to arise.
GRAND JURY CAN DEAF.
WITH FOOD GAMBLERS
Each State has it's own legal m.-
chincry sufficient to cope will, such
conditions. There is an attorney
general. District attorney and county
and city attorneys or prosecutors. Each
county has it's grand juries empowered
to investigate. to summon witnesses.
and force the production If documents
and books. IF there is sufficient cvi.
deEce the grand jury will present In
dictmcnt and public prosecutors will
fight the cases through the courts
against individuals or corporations
violating these laws.
Local communities and state. must
manifest larger degree of sclf-he,r
Doubtless. In many instances, people do
not wish TO bring about local antagon-
isms by becoming active in prosecu-
tons that are really justified They
wish 20 place the responsibility or en-
suing unpleasantness on the repre-
sentatives of the Federal Department
of Justice through the Federal Trade
Commission.
Those communities must come to n
realization that they should try self
help. and use the laws and machinery
or their States. The Federal TRADE
Commission is ready to cooperate and
assist in every instance in which 1t
may ieEitimately exercise It's functions.
IL rs impossible to handle all cases,
or relieve the local communities when
local remedies are at hand. Those of
the larger aspect. wherein interstate
principles are involved, will be given
PROMPT attention. but by far the larger
portion of complaints arise from abuses
IN particular communities and arc.
therefore. local