The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-10
PR0F|TEERS TO
I. Be PROSECUTED
IN EACH COUNTY
LOCAL CASES THROUGHOUT STATE
TO BE TAKEN UP BY COUNTY
ATTORNEYS AT ONCE
MAY CALL GRAND JUR|ES
Special Legislative Session II Situation
Demands That COurse-COnference OF
Officials With Governor Resolves ON
Immediate Assault Upon High Prices
Russell Il. Brown Of ArdmOre on In
quiry Committee.
Especial to The ArdmOreite)


Especial to The ArdmOreite)
Oklahoma City, Aug. 9.-County at
torneys of Oklahoma, after conference
in the house Of representatives at which
virtually every county in the state was
represented, returned to their homes
today determined to use every effort
to combat profiteering. Local prosecu
tions of violations of law will be under
taken in every instance in which any
one engaged in merchandising can be
shown to have entered into a compact
to exact unreasonable profits. Short
weights and short measures will meet
ready and vigorous prosecution; and
the county attorneys have pledged them
selves, in the adoption of resolutions, 10
aid the state officials and the newly re
organized councils of defense in putting
q curb upon the speculator in necessi
ties.
Each county attorney is Immediately
to cause thorough investigation
throughout his county as TO the prac'
tees, prices and charges of those deal
ing in the necessities of life, these In
guiries to be conducted either through
councils of defense or by the calling of
grand juries, and to institute prosecu'
ton in every instance in which evidence
can be secured of the violation of law.
In the event that all efforts by coun'
ty attorneys, grand juries and councils
of defense prove unavailing, the resolu'
tons set out, the governor will be asked
to call an extraordinary session of the
legislature to define the meaning OIL
profiteering and provide penalty for
the commission of that crime, as wen
as such laws relating to publicity of the
cost and sale price of articles OF COM
fort and necessity as will make profit
eering impossible and enable the county
ke ttorneys to punish, through the courts,
'hll guilty thereof.
Brown on Inquiry Committee
County Attorneys Carl Monk Of Nc
Alester, Russell b. Brown of Ardmore,
Earl Foster of Sapulpa, John w. Barry
of Alva. and ID. c. McCurtain of Poteau
were appointed as a committee to serve
with the governor and attorney generai
for the purpose of examining into ana
determining facts relative to the present
cost to the ultimate consumer of the ne
,essities and comforts of life and the
means to be employed in the reduction
of the high cost of living. The com
mittee will meet at the call of the gov
ernor and report its conclusions oil
facts and recommend the procedure TO
be followed by the county attorneys o.
the state in dealing with profiteers.
Volumes could be written from the
inspiration of the conference of the
county attorneys. There was hardly
man present Friday who did not have
dozens of instances to relate OF the
gouging his people had undergone IN
the purchase of necessities. In the
forenoon the sentiment seemed almost
universally in favor of a special session
of the Legislature, nearly all OF the
speakers voicing their opinion that the
present laws probably would be found
Inadequate The alternative proposed
bv the committee on resolutions, that
the county officials first try out the
means at hand, reinforced by the aid
of the councils of defense, found little
opposition. There were two or three
Embry of Lincoln county, Wood OF NC
CLAIM and possibly one or two others,
\who were opposed to a special session,
xpparently for any purpose. Their ef-
FORTS to strike section four from the
resolution provoked the first defined op-
position, or perhaps it would be better
TO term it disagreement, with the ere
ommendation of the committee.
Foster of Sapulpa, Brown of Carter,
McCurtain of Leflore (who, by the way
is the son of Green McCurtain, one OF
the latter chiefs of the Choctaw ma
,ion> argued that both sides of the
nuestion were provided for in the reso-
utions and for once, at least, a man
could by voting for the resolutions
adoption vote on both sides of the ques-
ton.
The special session is to come when
nther remedies fail; the attorneys will
then ask for an extraordinary assembly
of the legislature. In other words, II
the law cannot now reach the profiteer'
the governor will be asked to assemble
The legislature to enact such law ana,
II was pointed out. the need is for I'M
mediate action. The assembly of the
legislature and its action will be slow
process: and. as one speaker put II,
"Sambo may freeze before we can get
him a cover"
Governor Robertson outlined the pur-
nose of the meeting. He related many
instances of exorbitant charges that
had come to his notice and urged that
the county attorneys resort to every le-
,al means to curb the practice. IF 1t
seems that the assembly of special
session of the legislature is the only
way to reach this evil and remedy,
kaid the governor, there will be
~pecial session: but I want to deal with
This matter without loss of time; ! want
70 remedy the evil at once, If possible; |
and / hope that the present laws will
he found adequate. and 1 know you gen
,lemen will do your duty"
Public ScOrn Will Aid
The governor referred at considerable |
length TO the reforming of the council |
\, defense, and said he has faith in the
application of public scorn and the crys-
tallzation Of public sentiment against