Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-12
VIGOROUS MOVES
ARE BEGUN HERE
TO REDUCE H. C. |.
Senate D. C.. Subcommittee
Is Quizzing Retail Dealers
in Foodstuffs.
C. R. WILSON PLANNING
TO CHECK PR0FITEERS
Former Food Director Curtails Va.
cation-U. S. District Attor-
ney's Office Aiding.

In government wheat standards
under the price guarantee net $50
as mot to penalixe every grower
OF wheat" were made in a state
ment prepared by Chairman Gronna
and representatives OF farm organ
fzations and approved today by
the Senate agriculture committee.
Aggressive steps to lower the cost
OF living in the National Capital were
taken today, when retail dealers in
food and provisions of all kinds were
| Intercepted before a subcommittee
of the Senate District committee. Nor
gan H. Beach of the District attorneys
Office represented that Office at the
hearing and took an active part in
questioning the retail merchants who
appeared.
Clarence r. Wilson, former food ad-
ministrator of the District, who re-
turned to the city last night from a
curtailed vacation trip to Canada. inn
mediately took up the work of or
ganizing for campaign against
profiteers in the necessities of life.
Mr.. Wilson Is Busy.
During the day Mr.. Wilson talked
with former members of the food ad-
ministration force. with United States
District Attorney Laskey. with Com
missioner Brownlow and others. Stat
ing that he did not think it would take
long to familiarize himself thoroughly
with the present local situation, and
expressing appreciation of the offers
of aid that have been made by for
mer members of his force. Mr.. Wilson
said immediate action might be ex-
pected along the lines of forming Q
price -ffxing committee to investigate,
regulate and control retail prices
here; to license dealers and to inf1ict
punishment on those who refuse to
abide by orders of-the committee
Confer on Fair Price Bill.
Commissioner Brownlow and Cor
poration Counsel Syme held frequent
conferences this morning over the
| preparation of the fair price BILL
| which Mr.. Brownlow said would be
turned out with plenty of teeth in
| it."
Mr.. Wilson. food administrator for
the District. arrived today from a va
cation he was spending in Canada.
get them into immediate action
against the profiteers in conjunction
with the forces under the command
Of the Commissioners and United
States District Attorney John E.
While Mr.. wilson has no funds
with which to assemble his organiza-
ton. he has been promised the vol
former employees in the food admin
istration. He expects to confer this
afternoon with Commissioner Brown
low and other officials regarding the
situation.
Cooperation is the keynote of the
various plans being formulated. The
Commissioners. Mr.. Laskey and Mr..
Wilson, it appeared today. would
work along closely connected lines.
The task of Immediately checking
fall largely to the district attorney
and the food administrator. The Com
missioners bill, which will propose a
permanent remedy. cannot be made
of Congress.
Will Do All He Can.
IT have. come back to do every
thing 1 can to help the Immediate
situation and to assist in the formu-
lation Of plans for permanent relief"
said Mr. Wilson today. MANY of the
food administration already have
communicated to me their desire to
give gratuitously whatever service
there may be need for them to per-
form. 1t does not seem likely now
that lack of funds will prevent the
assembling of at least good portion
of the food administration machinery
for resuming the active work done
during the war;.
Mr. Wilson expects to request the
president of the Citizens Food Coun-
Gil, which was organized as an ad-
junct to the food administration dur
ing the war. This organization prac-
tically went out of existence when the
government agency disbanded
Proceeding Under Secrecy.
District Attorney Laskey is pro-
ceeding under the strictest secrecy
in his investigation to find out
whether food is being boarded in the
District or whether any local dealers are
manipulating prices in violation Of the
Sherman antitrust law.
Mr. Laskey declined today to dis
cuss the food probe or to say what
progress his investigators are max
ing He made it clear that he does
not intend to give any persons who
may be violating the law an opportu-
nifty to learn of the course which
the inquiry is taking and thereby
forestall the collection of evidence.
One former inspector of the Dis
trict food ADMINISTRATOR spent con-
siderable time in the office of one Of
the assistant district attorneys this
morning. Whether he was summoned
for a conference in regard to his
knowledge of food conditions could
not be learned definitely.
I'D to noon, Mr.. Laskey said, he had
not seen the former food admins
traitor Clarence r. Wilson, but that
he expected to see him later.
Subcommittee Investigating.