The Nevada County picayune., 1918-08-22
pROFITEERINC IS
 BARED BY REPORT
Treasury Department Tells How the American Public Has
 Been Made to Pay.
BIG INCREASES OVER 1916
Producers of Foodstuffs Made the Most Enormous Profits, and Nearly Every Other Branch of Industry Piled Up Huge Riches.

Huge Riches.
 Washington, Aug. 17.-The treasury departments report on profteering, tust completed in response to senate resolution and covering 31,5oO corpo- rations, reveals the fact that aston fishing profits have been made In nl- most every branch of Industry In America In 1916 and 1917. The names of the concerns are not made public. The treasury department takes the position that 1t would be a violation of existing law to make public the names of corporations and their earn ings. The senate resolution is not sui ncient to suspend the law; 1t would require joint resolution, the treasury department holds.
 The most extraordinary profiteering revealed by the report was in food stuffs. Producers of nearly all the common necessities of life were shown to have made enormously increased profits in 1917 over 1916, although their earnings in 1916 were in numerous cases far above the 100 per cent mark. Meat packers profits were shown to have increased substantially. One large packer made $19,000,000 more in 1917 than in 1916.
 In the iron and steel industry sensa- tional profits were disclosed. In coal and oil profits mounted to unparalleled figures Public utilities of virtually every character also came in for lib eral share of the increased prosperity.
 Large Profits of Diaries.
 Among the dairy concerns large in creases of profits were shown. One company with $60OO00 capital made S1660 0O0 in 1917. against S25.0o0 the year before. The small dairymen made the largest percentages of in- creased profits. One little concern with . capital of g, 400 made $11 ,659, as compared with S4.0cO for 1916.
 Fruit and vegetable growing indus try's profits increased considerably over those for 1916, although they were fairly large for that year. One concerns profits were 240 per cent more for 1917 than for 1916. Concerns with small capital showed the largest increases.
 Wheat, corn and barley growing was not so profitable. according to the re turns. One concern with $425,0 cap ital lost money.
 Stock breeding showed substantially increased profit in nearly all the con cerns listed The industry also showed large profits for the previous year. One concerns profits were 255 per cent more la 1917 than in 1916.
 A large number of industries listed as miscellaneous agricultural indus tries" showed some strikingly large profits, beginning in 1916 and increas- ing rapidly in 1917.
 Food Men Gain Riches.
 Of 216 concerns listed under the cap ton Bread and other baking prod ucts," proflteering of m amazing char ncter was shown. For example one company capitalized at S40.000 in creased its profits from $50 600 h 1916 to S1o7.000 in 1917 Few of them showed increases of less than 20 per cent on their capital stock.
 In the canning industry one com pany which earned BIT per cent In 1916 earned 1047 per cent in 1917 Another, capitalized at SgS,0O0, made $2470oo fin 1917, against s66oo0 In 1916. A S50.0O0 concern which made $25000 in 1916 made s142, 0oo in 1917,
 The manufacture of syrups, mOlas- ses and glucose netted much increased profit. One company with $35o 900 capital earned S363. 600 in 1917 against sl76,000 in 1916. Ice cream was an especially big money maker
 Of more than 800 flour. feed and grist mills listed only few failed to show largely increased profits. One s2,500,00O concern made s752000 in I916 and ST 100000 in 1917.
 There was a general upward rise in most packing companies profits. The largest concern listed had capital of S1OO, 100000. upon which it earned S49,- 100000 in 1917, against S300o0000 in 1916.
 Startling Profits in Leather.
 Leather manufacturers including the dealers in hides. and makers of boots and shoes and trunks and valiseS, made profits In 1916 and 1917 that are startling One shoe manufacturing concern, with s10oo,O00 capital. made 313 per cent in 1916, but nc excess in 1917
 Scores Of boot and shoe manufac- turing concerns whose capital was from Sl00,O00 to S1,000.Oo0, made all the way from 20 to more than 1000 per cent in 1916.
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