Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-09
COUNTY ATTORNEYS AND OTHER
OFFICIALS ORGANIZE TO
FIGHT PRoFiTEERlNe.
EVERY COUNTY EXCEPT
FIVE WAS REPRESENTED
Clearing House Of information Es.
tabiished and Information to Be Dis.
tributsd to Enable Presecutions--
Former Attorney General Cosson
Assisting.
special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Aug. Ex-Governor W.
L. Harding set in motion today state
wide machinery for:
"a Investigating the cause of pres
ent food prices in every county in
Iowa, and prosecuting where it APP
pears these prices are the result Of vi
olation Of Iowa law.
(2) Causing to be gathered by coun-
ty prosecuting staffs all evidence tend
ing to establish violations of federal
law with respect to prices, this to be
reported to the attorney general at
Washington for federal prosecution.
The plan for the crusade against
high prices in state and nation was
worked out at a conference of county
attorneys. at which every county In the
state except five was represented. 1t
includes both collection of information
at hundred points Of vantage within
the Hawkeye borders, and the estab-
lishment of clearing house of this in
formation under the auspices OF the
state government at Des Moines, to
digest, forward and advise procedure
upon the information gathered.
1t is reported that Former Attorney
General George Cosson, working di-
rectly under the governors office, may
head this bureau, assisted by the state
dairy and food department.
Mr.. Cosson, who was speaker at
the session. which was mostly execu-
L L. a. he nj l.
cation determined upon is to create. SO
far as Iowa is concerned, an effectively
cooperating unit from the president
down to each small political unit, in
the price war which Uncle Sam has
begun.
Conference Behind Closed Doors.
Most of the day was spent behind
closed doors, with doortenders jealous
ly guarding the galleries and entrances
against profaned ears. Governor Hard
ing declared that the meeting had
been more successful than he had an
ticipated. Hours were spent by the
prosecutors, telling to each other evil
dences Of price juggling which had
come to their attention. Mr.. Harding
also turped over to the lawyers a mass
Of evidence which has come to him
since he announced the state price in
>yestigation.
Speakers al the morning session
were the governor, Attorney General
II. NJ. Havner, and former Attorney
General George Cosson. The governor
opened the conference with an address
prices, and indicating in a general way
hn of o<f
Mr.. Havner explained the scope OF
Iowa laws dealing with price juggling
by pools. trusts, and combinations.
+ Mr.. Cosson explained federal law in
relation to price control, and urged
Iowa officials to operate in the cost
Of living campaign begun by the ma
tional administration, by providing in
formation of federal statute violations
to the United States attorney generals
office, thru a state office later to be
designated.
The governor had a plain name for
profiteers: he called them traitors.
THAT there are always some" he
said. who seize upon any and every
opportunity to make an undue profit
for themselves Is admitted by all. There
are those individuaIs who are appar-
emily ready to jeopardize their coun-
try's future to place themselves in -
position Of ease and comfort. Any
such person or persons are not only
unpatriotic. but they are betrayers OF
their country"
The Iowa legislative method Of at
tempting to control profits by decree
ing fixed prices to be unlawful was
questioned by the governor but, he de-
clared "since that is the policy which
has been adopted, It is the duty Of
peace officers to follow it out to it's