Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-25
FOODHEADSC CAN'T ACT
OFFICIALLY ON PRICES
Acting U. S. Administrator Says
Identity With Committees
Must Be as individuals
MUST WAIT ON CONGRESS
nv GEORGE NOx MCCAIN

Members Of the United States food
administration cannot act in their for
mer official capacity in the formation
and conduct of fair price committees.
This is the information conveyed by
acting National Food Administrator
Riekard, who is performing the duties
Of Herbert Hoover while the latter is In
Europe.
The information has been conveyed to
county administrators by Howard
! Heinz, formerly state food admins
traitor, who has requested that they
place their experience Mt the service
Of Attorney General Palmer.
National Food Administrator Rick
ard has asked all state administrators,
as individuals. to aid the Department
of Justice in organizing these fair price
committees in their respective districts
From the above it appears that for
mer Administrator Heinz was acting in
his individual capacity ms a private
citizen when he promised to co operate
in the organization Of these committees
through former administrators.
Define Administration Attitude
The official kilograms are interesting
as defining the attitude of the food ad
ministration in connection with the
question of price fixing committees and
further work along that line.
When Attorney General A. Mitchell
Palmer two weeks ago wired state food
administrators requesting their CO
operation and assistance in the organ
ization of price fixing committees, Mr..
Rickard Immediately sent the following
telegram to all state administrators
including Howard Heinz at Pittsburgh :
As you know, that while the food
administration still exists theoretically
until the ratification of peace as a gov
eminent department, we are without
funds. On request we have supplied the
attorney general with the names and ad-
dresses of all state food administrators
Il note that you have been requested
to serve the attorney general and in ..
cluding control of other commodities
than food. The work outlined Is much
broader than that covered by the food
administration during the war. The
experience and records of the food ad :
ministration are national assets. and as
'fA> AVOu ACT as n
government organization your response
to the attorney general will represent
your own conception of your duties and
responsibilities.
Then Another Telegram
Two days later Acting National Food
Administrator Rickard again wired all
state food administrators as follows.
"A telegram from the attorney gen =
eral states: kilograms from various
states indicates general misunder
standing of your telegram to the state
food administrators
II am anxious to correct any misun
derstanding of my former telegram tc
you which was intended to make clea,
that the record and the experience OF
the food administration are an asset OF
the nation, and as such are at the dis
posal of the attorney general.
Nothing was further from nv mind
than to suggest that any ties to the food
administration would prevent YOU from
acting for the attorney general. While
it is entirely a personal matter with
you we are naturally anxious to co -op
crate in every effort of the government
TO cope with the food problem. 1t is q
question of how far you feel under OBJ
legation to give the government tn,
benefit of your experience secured whil'
acting as a government official durin,
the war"
1t was following the receipt of thi
telegram that Howard Heinz notified
the attorney general he would be glaC
to assist him in any way.
At the conference in this city OF
( Tuesday last, while it was agreed tha
fair price committees had no lega
standing, Mr.. Heinz personally PLACED
his experience as food administrator a
the service of the attorney general. HI
agreed to consider the formation of fair
price committees which should not func
ton, however, until Congress passed 1
law giving them power to act. Thi
was mutually agreed to and the prOpo
sition was accepted.
Attorney General Palmer was quote,
I +