New-York tribune., 1919-08-01
Attorney General Calls In
Other Members of Cab
met Following Meet
ing With Mr.. Wilson
Senate and House
Debate Question
Officials Are Stirretl~> >bv
Pleas for Action From
the II. r. Brotherhoods

WASHINGTON, July 3l-Govern-
mental machinery was set in motion
to-day in response to demands from the
public that some Official action be taken
to relieve the high cost Of living.
Prices as they affect the average
citizen, assumed first place in in
terest in the capital At the White
House President Wilson was said to be
giving deep and very thoughtful con-
sideration' 70 problems presented to
him and the Railroad Administration
by members OF the railroad brother
hoods who represented that prices
would have to come down or wage 90
mp. if social unrest was not to develop
into uphosval.
IN the Senate and House ehe sitna-
tion gave rise to several resolutions 10
investigate the cause q existing 7r.cs
levels, another 10 reduce the volu.as
Of currency in circulation as . mean,
Of debating prices, one to reques. tss
Attorney General to stop speculation
in foods or exchanges, and auotter to
sell this years wheat crop at market
prices instead os az the government
guarantee, the difference to De mad,
up by the government
Palmer Calls Conference
Late to-day Attorney General Palmer
met eight government officials whom la
had summoned TO his Office for - discus
SIGN Of high costs and the best methods
to pursue to effect redues.on After
general talk, lasting nearly three
hours, the conference disbanded to meet
again. probab y next week, for further
counsel. based on additional informa-
ton to be collected in the meantime.
Those attending the conference in
cluded SECRETARIES Glass. Juston. Red
field and Wilson Director General
Hines. Chairman Murdock OF the Fed
eral Trade Commission, Assistant Sec
retary OF the Treasury lefingwe!l and
W B. Colver, OF the edera' Tsadc Com
mission.
/. developed today that de1la Is for
more wages were pending before the
Railroad Administration from several
hundred thousand employees Perhaps
the 'rankest talk which government
officials have heard IN long time came
II this connection IN the statement e
". q. Lee, president OF the trainmen,
before the wage adjustment board.
More Wages No Solution
Mr. Lee told the board that An in
crease IN wages was not the proper
solution OF the present economic hard
ships under which workinemcn are
laboring, because they would be fol
lowed by new Increases III the cost Of
everything, which would more than alb
SORT the additional pay
Until all classes get together to stop
profiteerirg, he said, the only thing fue
everyone 70 do Is TO ge- all the wages
he can, q course which ne declared
would result eventually II preeipitatlng
the Gpheaval now staring the country
n the lace.
AS Il step toward breaking the high
prices, plans are heina Waae~by Secre-
tary Baker Postmaster General Bprle-
son and Representative Kelly, of Penn
syivanla, to sell through the parcel post
surplus army food stocks valued at
STA, O00
Officials who attended the Attorney
Generals conference declined to dis
cuss what took place. Mr.. Palmer said
the conference WIS called ClIeny for
the purpose Of naong a survey Of the
situation, developing any information
on which the head OF The naeion's law
enforcement ma hinory might act %
curb prohteerins.
Hew -Naticna. Fastime
''It seems to t.. Universal rAstiiae.
putting this thing u r. the Attorney
General" Mr.. Palmer said sniliuL.
Even the Governors have taken l.
blaming THIS department for existing
p~ce levels"
In response to questions, M palmef
admitted that there was no law by
which prices could be lowered directly.
but he declined TO say whether nesv
legislation was needed TO enable the
department TO punish men wnD may be
guilty of profiteering.
There IS great deal OF good law
on the statute books, ,he Attorney
General declared.
Wnen course Of action lis decided
upon the Federa TRADE Commission, F
understood to De ready 10 supply the
most extensive collection OF industrial
Information ever gathered hy an. goz-
ernment Production cost figures ha.a
been obtained by the commission on
Industries representing $50 600, 600 900
worth of capital as the result of its
activities during the war in advising
the governn mt what prices to oav for
the millions Of dollars OF purchases
made by IT. For this reason. il is be
neved the commission is ready 10 urse
that further legations. which
seem 10 be foresaadoWad By resola-
tons pending ~ Congress. would o,.lv
muddle the situation. causing the loss
OF valuable time and waste of money.
Manufacturers Get Big Profits
The commissions Investigations our
ing the war, all of which deal Only