Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-08-14
Palmer Plans to Spend
$1,O00,000 on lnvesti-
eating Profits.
100000 WILL Be USED
(. IN TRUST PROSECUTION
War Department Makes
First Cut in Prices
to Meet Dealers.

Washington. Aug 13-Important new
developments in the governments flght
&c, reduce the high cost of living came.
today.
One Of the most interesting was the
announcement by Attorney General Pal
mer that the first federal conviction for
profiteering had been obtained. Dis
trict Attorney Lucey telegrafed from
Binghamton, N. Y. that retail grocer
had been fined $500 for selling sugar
at Is cents a pound. No details were
given. and the law under which the case
was brot was not known here.
"A few good cases of profiteering in
each state will settle that trouble Mr..
Palmer remarked.
Drive on Storage Starts.
The department. also launched its
campaign of seizing stored food boards,
the first raid being made at Chatta
nooga, Tenn, where $4,000 dozen eggs
were confiscated under libel proceedings
in the federal court. The eggs were
being held for Morris & company, the
Chicago packers. The legal proceedings
were based on the charge that the eggs
were unlawfuily stored for the purpose
of unreasonably increasing the prices.
There was a report that extensive
seizures of eggs, canned food and 81
800 pounds of sugar had been made at
Jacksonville, Florida, but this proved un
true.
From Chicago came announcement of
contemplated seizures of stored foods
and prosecutions for profiteering. Some
thing like panic in prices growing out
of the prospect of prosecution was re-
ported from that city.
Palmer Offers Penalties Plan.
In order to bring to book persons
guilty or raising prices exorbitantly or
boarding food to advance prices, Mr..
Palmer submitted to the agricultural
committees the draft Of an amendment
to the food control act, extending its
provisions to clothing and containers Of
foods. and providing penalty of So
GOO fine. or two years imprisonment, or
both, for violation of the law. Chairman
Haugen, of the house committee, an
nounced that the amendment would be
considered Immediately by the sub-com-
mittee.
S2,385,00O Asked In Funds. L
Three cabinet officers asked presi
dental appropriations for congress for
the campaign against inflated prices.
for the work of the bureau of stand
ards in assuring full weight and meas
ure and Of the bureau of fisheries in
introducing new fish foods. Secretary
Wilson asked for S475,0OO for the en-
ployment of special agents and others
and Mr.. Palmer requested S1,OO0,OOO
for the bureau of investigation and for
the expenses Of the state food admins
traitors assisting the department of JUS
tice.
Another 100000 was asked for anti
trust suits, especially that against the
five big packing companies. The at
torncy general also wants 100000 for
other work of the department, not di
rectIy connected with the living problem,
such as the enforcement of wartime
prohibition, prosecution of appeals and
hiring Of special assistants.
To meet reductions recently made by
retailers. q new scale Of price for sur
plus food stuffs was put into effect, to-
day, by the war department.
Roast beef was reduced from 81 13
to $1.90 per six-pound can: bacon from
80 to 81 cents per pound and No 3
pound cans Of beans from Ii to Q cents
Prices on other items were reduced in
proportion.