The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-21
PALMER STATES
 RETAILERS ARE
 WORST GOUGERS
Wants An Example Made of Small Business Man Who
 is Extortionist.
MAY INSTITUTE BIG
 ROUNDUP OF DEALERS
Attorney General Before Committee Opposes Price
 Proclamation.

Washington. Aug. 21.-The Govern rnent intends to take drastic action against the retail prof1teers of the country, believing they are one of the main causes of high prices, Attorney General Palmer told the House, Agri- cultural Committee yesterday.
 The department has had more complaints against retail grocers than against any one else," MT. Palmer said.
 They are taking advantage of present conditions to take unfair profits, and the department desires. with the consent of Congress, to take speedy action against them as well as all profiteers.
 ''we don't want to pick out the big packers and punish them alone and then let the little gougers go free. The latter are the men the people come in contact with, and we have much evidence to show that they are extorting large profits"
 Palmer Urges Speed.
 The Attorney General, during al; his testimony, insisted speed was es- sential in the campaign against prices and he urged Congress to extend the Federal Food Control Act to include ! wearing apparel and other necessi- ties.
 The Attorney General opposed the plan of Chairman Haugen to estab- fish a system of executive price fix ing, asserting it would require several ! months to build up an organization | that would determine what are fair prices. This would be necessary un- der the Haugen plan, said MT. Pal | mer, before prices could be pro- claimed by the President.
 "It would be impossible to get i'm mediate results by reviving the Food Administration MT. Palmer said, Cor any similar agency. I think even the | old licensing system would be too 1 cumbersome and cause too much delay.
 My plan is to make conspicuous 1 examples of some of the profiteers and show them the Government means business. I don't believe wholesale prosecutions will be neces- | sary, but we are ready to carry that 1 out if necessary.
 l Would Be Very Forward Step. l ''To have the Executive fix prices a which every person should sell goods is a very forward step, and I have nc hope that it could be passed through | Congress and put into effect before the Food Control act expires, which is on the proclamation of peace by the President
 Clothing generally has increased more than 100 per cent. in price il three years, Government statistic: 1 show.
 The Federal Trade Commission has figures showing the cost of manu- | featuring many articles of clothing These cost figures are said to be fal below retail prices of mems suits shirts, hats, shoes and a score ot other articles of apparel. MT. Palmer was also studying to. day Agriculture Department reports on meat now in storage. These l stocks have increased since Aug. l i 1918, as follows:
 Frozen pork, storage holdings, in creased 47,561,O ,O45 pounds during the year; pick1ed pork holdings; 16,266,. 255 pounds; lamb and mutton, f.. 12S,o94 pounds; cured beef, 2,792,99: pounds; miscellaneous meat holdings S,305,1 ,104 pounds
 l Holdings of frozen beef, dry sal pork and lard alone showed decreas es compared with last year. Froze1 beef holdings decreased approximate ly 12,o0o,OO0 pounds, dry salt pori
 4,00o,000 pounds and lard 3,00O,OOl pounds.