The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-20
State Authorities and Attorney
General to Cooperate in
the Work
TO SEIZE ALL FOOD
FOUND IN STORAGE
All Attempts to Transfer Goods
in Storage to Meet Drastic
Punishment

Washington. Aug. 15.-Close co-op-
Grafton between state authorities VINO
possess detailed information of food
and price conditions and the attorney
general and his staff of assistants,
empowered to enforce the food control
law, is being established as part Of
the governments fight to reduce the
cost Of livirg.
Instructions went out today from
Attorney General Palmer to the two
district attorneys in Ohio to proceed
Immediately to assist Governor Cox
in the seizure of large quantities of
meat, butter and eggs, alleged to have
been held in storage in the state for
more than six to ten NOR ls the legal
limits. Criminal prosecutions will be
instituted, it was said, if it can be
shown that the foods were held from
the market for tho purpose of boost
ing prices. Officials here were inclin-
ed to think that the long period of
storage indicated some other reason
than an effart to spread the abundant
supplies of producing season over
the lean part of the year.
Acting on telegram late today
from Governor Cox saying that
Cley elard concern in order to escape
possible prosecution for boarding was
moving it's meat products to ware
houses in Chicago and destroying its
records. the department Of justice or
lered the district attorney at Cleve-
land to look into the matter imme-
ditely. All attempts to effect trans
fer of goods in storage, officials said,
would be summarily dealt with.
Seizure of large stocks Of foodstuffs
in storage continued today with re-
ports received of libels filed in Cleve-
land and Detroit and preparations for
such action in many cities. The de-
partment was Informed tonight that
the district attorney at Detroit had
filed libels in three cases and seized
approximately 10,460.000 eggs and
100000 pounds of butter, all of which
had been held in storage for some
time.
Statistics announced by the bureau
of Markets, showing a great increase
in the amount of food held in stor-
age were said by Judge Ames, as
sistant to the attorney general, IN
charge of enforcing the. food control
law to bear out the departments con-
tention that a prime reason for en-
hanced prices was the holding of sup
plies from the market.
eve are going to force these hoard
ersc and profiteers to disgorge.' Judge
Ames declared, wherever they are
found to hold greater amounts than
are necessary for the conduct of their
business and the safeguarding of the
food situation during the winter.
The agriculture com nlittee of both
Senate and House continued work to-
day on legislation asked by Attorney
General Palmer extending the provi-
sions of the control act and giving a
criminal penalty for violations of it.
Opposition by several senators
baked an immediate report by the
Senate committee, which now plans
to act Tuesday. Judge James appeared
before the house committee, explain
ing why the department of justice
thought this legislation necessary.
Another witness before the house
committee was John D. Miller of the
National Board of Farm Organizations
who urged that farm associations
should be exempt from any regula-
tions as to the price and distribution
of food products. L. d. II. Weld. OF
Swift & Company. testlfylng before
the house interstate commerce COM
nittee, which is considering cold stor-
age. declared that to force stored food
on the market noW would create
serious situation next winter.
Through the putting on sale today
of 1000, 900 surplus army blankets,
the war department made another at
tack on high living costs. kilograms
reaching the department late today
indicated remarkab BILE response to gov
ernment offers.
Long lines of would-be purchasers
gathered early in the day at each of
the sixteen distributing points and
large quantities were quickly disposed
of at prices ranging from s6 to $3.50
a blanket.
Officials here were ANXIOUS that the
distribution should be widened so that
persons remote from the supply CEN
ters might be able to take advantage
Of the sale, but they could see no way
in which this could be effected. IN
quiry was telegraphed, however, to
those in charge of the sales to report
the number of blankets remaining on
hand with a view to making the sale
subject tc mail orders when accom-
panied by the full purchase price.
WILL FORCE LOANS