Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-25
Prices Still Mounting

NJ NOTWITHSTANDING the vigorous govern
~ ment crusade against the high cost OF liv-
ing; Notwithstanding the prosecutions, the
price-hXing comm. tees. the cooperative buy
ing and the various other cXpedients ad opted
to deprcss prices. ii cost l per cent more to
live in August than in July This is upon the
authority of the Department OF Labor, whose
statisticians have watched the market with
respect to twenty-five articles OF food and find
that all reductions have been overcome by
other increases. and more
This would be the more discouraging how
ever. ii the country felt that the government
had exhausted itself; that ii had used all its
powers with so little effect. and that tho con
sumner would have to reconcile himsei. to the
present level With, perhaps. fnrihec increases
as the months go by But the government
has only begun 10 fight. Its vast organiza
iion OF Investigators has just started TO func-
tion. and it may afford some comfo,j TO know
nat If the present campaign had not been
undertaken the rising level of food cost might
have been instead of 1 per cent
1t should be remembered that it is an utter.
impoSsibllity for the government. mighty as it
is, 10 throw the whole economic system OF
great nation into reverse all at once For
more than five years the Who'll. tendency OF
food clothing and other prices has been up
ward The same is true OF wages and TO a
smaller extent, OF salaries. The purchasing
value OF the dollar necessarily has shrunk
The processes OF rest oring Old conditions
arc naturally slow 1t may be many months
before the full effect OF the present movement
against high prices is felt. The impossibility
OF accomplishing any radical changes over
night was warned against by the Pres ident
the Attorney General and other government
officials who have set for themselves the task
OF rcadJustng tho living cost and bringing
measure OF relief 10 the people OF the country
There is one good reason why more salts
factory results have not been achieved Con
gress, for some unaccouutabe cause, has de-
laycd for days and weeks the passage of lcgis-
lation which the Acknowledgement is con-
vnced must be passed if the Depa rtmcnt OF
Justice is TO have full authority in the present
SITUATION In communication TO the chair
man OF the Committee on Agriculture OF the
Rouse the department Of Justice has lust
plead for carly action on the amendments 10
the food control act. which the President and
Mtorney-Gencral Palmer recommended 10
Congress weeks ago
REPORTS continue TO reach the depa rtmcnt
indicating pro!!tcering in shoes and othc.
wearing apparel, for example. Pending tho
passage OIL the proposed amendments the ic-
Parlmehl Is poweriesa 10 deal effectively with
such practices. Mr.. Palmer moreover. has
Jast oeen advised that sugar corporation of
california is placing the new crou of beet
sugar on the market at Sill 80 per 100 mounds
as against the 50 price fixed by the Sugar
equalization Board for he Old crop he
department finds that il cannot nroceen
against this corporation without more Law |,
Is amazing that Congress should make itself
party 10 such prohtccring by rciusin. TO
arm the Department Of Justice with the
power TO prevent it,