New-York tribune., 1919-10-25
Increased Production and
Cooperation in Reducing
ITnwarranted Profits Are
Given as Cure for HI. C. L.
Nation Is Facing Crisis
Attorney General Says ''Star.
xa,;on Will Stalk in Land"
Unless Things Change

sosToN. Oct. 24-The solution of
...h co.t conditions lies in increased
n,ussduction and in q lessened demand.
gl..nrney General A. Mitchell Palmer
ID to-day in addressing q meeting of
rsarors. fair price committees and state
ns;cials called by Governor Coolidge.
The Attorney General said unless con-
;;t;ons were 'elieved so the poorer
n.onle could buy the food necessary to
sustsin them during the coming winter
the country would "see starvation walk
.hs streets OF our great cities"
themselves chasing about in q circle
s;eh prices chasing higher wages and
h;Sher wages chasing ..gher prices for
svsrything. The people will get no
,rbere By continuing that process l.
dsAn;tely except TO the point where
;ndustria] disaster will overtake the
United States.
$50 we have got to the time when
wa must stop the operation of this
vicious circle, when we must ask the
natriotic people of America on every
s;de Of the economic fence to halt in
their desires to better their own con-
disions se'fshly and to look out for
the interests of the whole; to hold the
line steady until the natural economic
forces begin to operate, production be-
gins to increase and the demands Of
the public may be met at reasonable
prices.
Great thing which will bring back nor
nal conditions to America is a normal
production. We may get back to 1t in
the near future.
Tn the meantime there are several
things that ne can do to hasten the
time when conditions will be normo
and to relieve the conditions in the
transition period. The first thing. Of
course, is to help, to encourage, to
back up every effort at increased pro-
duction everywhere. Idleness is sin
in this emergency. The next thing
that can be done, and just as impor-
tan. as increasing I e supply, is to
help lessen the demand.
"The worldU d. conditions, the eco
nomic causes. these things which are
the aftermath Of the war. we cannot
adequately reach in any campaign b,
tie government against the high cos
where in al lines OF trade, in tn
business who take advantage of thes
20 add on profits for themselves un-
eonsccnably, uureasonably and un
Justly and seem able to do it because
,teir patrons understand that condi-
-;cns are bad ard assume that every
oodr is doing it,.
Thank God everybody is not doinc
z: Ninety nine men out OF 100 In tn
-etaii business and in the wholesel~
business are taking only fair profit
ali conditions considered. 1t Is as
much to their interest as it is TO tr~
interests OF the general public that
the ninetv-nine men shall see to it thai
rhe one man who goes wrong shall be
compelled TO 60 straight.
u regret T. say that there has beer
some misurd rds-starding and miscon-
rtruction of the eforts Of the De-
partment Of Justic, 20 prevent hoard
:ng Of the food supply of the country
The department nos gone t, further
than the law. and II q not our pur-
pose 70 treat rs hoe-dine the norm o.
storage OF food products ny legitimate
dealers conducting business in the
usual way and disposinr OF the stocks
IN storage at the usual time and upon
reasonable margins Of profit"