The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-22


labor IL is not deemed wise to subject
the farmers to the inconvenience and ex-
pense Indicated by the witnesses that
might come under the Federal law"
Mr. Hutchlson explained that the
main purposes of his bill are to prevent
corners in food. through storage and
deception OF the public by selling cold
storage food for fresh articles. lie plans
to use the power Of Congress over Inter
state commerce to regulate the cold
storage warehouses. The main pro-
visions follow:
4. That storage food shall not be
shipped unless marked so as to show
that IL is cold storage food. with the
date 1t was placed In storage and the
location Of the storage plant. The PEN
atty for violation of this provision, as OF
others, is a maximum fine OF $1,000 or
year in Jail. or both.
:. That no food may be stored moro
than ten mouths except by special per-
mission from the Secretary of Agrlcul-
ture. who may reject applications FOR
extension OF time on storage food II It is
held contrary to the provisions of the
Sherman antitrust act.
3. That complete records be kept OF
all cold storage food and'a quarterly re-
rort be made to the Secretary of AgTi-
culture stating the amount or condition
of food in storage.
Z. That the Secretary OF Agriculture
may authorize the purchase and inspee-
ton OF storage plants.
s. That food held in violation OF this
resolution may be seized and sold by
the courts
o. That the Secretary OF Agriculture
shall investigate fully the demand. sup
ply. consumption, cost. prices and facts
relating to the ownership, production.
transportation. manufacture, storage
and distribution Of food and food
products.
Demands Prison for Producers.
More action by the Government de-
partments and less promises will bring
real results in the campaign against
high prices. Representative McCrate On.
IL, said in q statement to the House
to-day. advocating the falling Of more
profteers.
"All executive departments" he said.
are publishing promises OF a nation
wide hunt for hoarders and prohteers.
The people are sick Of publicity and
promises. They want prosecutions
pushed, II justified, and they want them
dropped IL unjustihed. They demand to
know what has been done before they
VIII believe promises OF performance.
Let the Secretary OF Agriculture and
the Attorney General show that con-
scfenceless crooks have found their way
to jail and that food prices have fallen
under the laws on the books for two
years, then the country viii willingly
give them additional millions.
"Prtson and not publicity is the cure
for profiteering The place to attack
price fixers and food hoarders is not the
rostrum OF the House OF Representatives,
but in the courts Of the country before
American juries The thick hides OF
food manipulators cannot be pierced by
polished shafts Of rhetoric hurled from
high places Prison fare is the only
food that will nourish their almost dead
sense OF concern for their fellow men,"
Chairman Volstead (Minn.). Of the
House Judiciary Committee, conferred
with Mr. Palmer and Chairman Colver.
OF the Federal Trade Commission, con-
corning plans for the permanent resu-
lation Of business as suggested In the
Presidents message, namely, through
the license system.
Tentative suggestions were made for
amending the Sherman and Clayton
trust acts. and the act creating the Fed
e-al Trade Commission. and representa-
tfves of the departments will be heard
before the committee next week
rAttorney-General Palmer sent to-day
n Telegram to all United States attor-
nevs instructing them to bring about
strict observance Of reasonable" prices
for sugar. The telegram said that past
transactions should not be made the
subject for action unless abuses were
fragrant, but that close watch should be
kept In the future. They were told that
all dealers In sugar doing a business OF
500, 900 a year or more were still under
license, and that while hxed margins
were withdrawn the regulations re-
n ta-, H.
margin. II II stated that sugar should
sell for IL cents pound. with some
possible variations
Reaners Get Sugar at $.O72S.
Edgar Richard Of the United States
rood Administration has assured the
Department Of Justice that licenses OF
all dealers who take In excess OF a rea-
sonable margin will be cancelled upon
finding and recommendation from the
United States attorney In his tele-
gram. Mr. Palmer says:
The United States Sugar Equalizer
Board. Incorporated, a Government cor
poration. purcha sed and now owns ana
controls the entire domestic and Cuban
crop of sugar for the crop years Of 1873
and 1919. All OF this raw sugar Is sold
70 the reiners at 7.2s cents per pound.
Rsdners are under contract TO the board
70 sell THIS at CSnlS. less per
cent discount for cash. or s.s2 cents a
pound net
"whne the Food Administration mar
gins OF profit were In force wholesalers
and jobbers actually performing the
functions Of buying. warehousing. SELL
ing and distributing sugar were allowed
margin Of IS cents px hundred
pounds, plus the Q per ceI discount
from the cent list. plus IS cents per
hundred pounds for expenses, or a total
OF ss cents, this being the maximum
that may be added by the tobbers or
wholesalers to the net price Of ;S.s2 per
hundred pounds at the refinery.
'"The margin allowed retailers under
the Food Administration regulations
was cent per pound for sales In orig
inal packages and n cents per pound in
broken packages. These margins are
not now specifically in force. but under
the law and the license regulations deal
s=s are restricted to a reasonable profit
and the former margins prescribed by
the Food Administration are OF value
In determining reasonable profits. Il is
therefore apparent that sugar should
reach the consumer at approximately II
cents, subject to some variation on ac-
count OF the hexibility OF the word
reasonable
General license regulation, rule g..
still in force so far as relating TO sugar.
provides that the licensee in selling
sugar shall keep such sugar moving to
the consumer IN as direct a line as pos
sible and without unreasonable delay.