El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-03
The Prohteers Again

QUITE the most sensational document recently issued IS
- the report Of the federal trade commission declaring
that profiteeTug is being pracoed tremendous scale
IN practically all the basic commodities Of life The report
made after what is declared to have been long and
searching investigation, points particularly to tendency
to increase prices and maintain them at the higher level
prices against the forces Of competition.
The report great of reapprasng their
properties when became evident the government was
to prices on basis of return investment and
salaries, allowances and expenses said to have been
padded IN many cases 10 show increased cost OF conducting
business. The intent Of all this to make enormous
profits than fair. The old game Of watering
the stock IN a rather novel form
Along with the alleged great profits of the leading meat
packers cited market maqIpuatiouS to add to their
rapidly growing heaps of gold Flour mers are said to
have proeered also and many coal producers and steel
manufacturers For instance the meat packers said
to have pocketed profits in 1914H inclusive $780,
Norris Wilson and Cudahy. One recalls at the same time
that this report to light, investigation Is under
way connection with shipment the army and navy
Of meat alleged to have been unit for use II the Prot
eeng charge is true and If the bad meat charge is true
either BOTH It IS time for the government to administer
drastic reform The truth OF the charges would nave 10 De
well established, however for the packing companies deny
both charges with all emphasis
This pTofiteerng thing is one hideous features
Of II indispensable adjunct in the sense
that it is found In every warning country Even Germany
government controlled down to the smallest detail is rotten
with it. As for the United States the trade commission
inferentiaIy says that great Of 1t has been
covered like cancerous exposed to light
The federal trade commission is far too serious far too
thorough and palnsang an investigating body 10 be dis
regarded when It charges ike the above. One
matter Of that the commission Is quite
prepared produce evidence support its accusations
The existence then, Of profit grabbing the scale
alleged by the commission may be taken for granted unless
the denial In Of such denial there
should be hearing before the proper authority perhaps
before food administrator Hoover and the charges
proved correct the profits should be stripped away
from the companies and taken by the government. II
should be 100 percent taxation far the is
concerned.
It is understood the food administration is already
taking steps to deprive the flour milling Of alb
normally swollen profits, which viii with
practically unanimous approval the existence Of proteer
ing undeniably established Taking away money stolen
from patriotic people is not enough, however. The
proeers should be proceeded against cmnay and given
long prison sentences with hard labor specified.
Again referring to Hungary, the first six letters seem
to portray internal conditions fairly adequately.
The Czechs and the Boheans and the Jugo-Slavs are
doing their level best to take the Hun out Of Hungary
As it used to be with Villa so it is with the former
Either he is dead he isn't and havAg read both
versions you can take your choice
If in Paris one says "Woof wool" he gets a pair Of
eggs done in the chefs best manner Doubtless if one IN
Berlin to give the order, "B0wwow he would get
portion-though very sal-of canine Thus reegates
US to the language Of the cave men
Setting up piece about the discovery Of profiteering
inspired compotor makes it read "bear faced fraud
Bear faced about right and the bears undoubtedly
those sneakng brown rsScas who ransac the shack while
the owners attention is focused elsewhere.