The Topeka state journal., 1919-09-01
TO FINANCE FIGHT
House Plans To Provide Cash
for H. C. L. War This Week.
Deficiency Measure VIII Garry
Ample Funds for Campaign.

! Washington, Sept. 1.-The house
this week is planning to give the gov
ernment's high cost of living campaign
its biggest boost-providing of cash
for the department of Justices prose-
! cution of profiteers and hoarders.
A deficiency appropriation bill
carrying the additional money thought
necessary to bring down prices will be
placed before the house late in the
week. Committee members have al
ready given assurance that 1t will
carry ample provision for the nation
wide campaign against profiteers
planned by the department of Justice.
sentiment in congress favors whole
sale prosecutions as the only means
of stopping exorbitant charges. -.
Attorney General Palmer has asked
about $2,000.000 for the campaign,
most of which will be used to employ
additional attorneys, United States
marshals and secret service operatives
to run down profiteers. Evidence is
already being gathered for the prose-
cutions as soon as congress authorizes
the appropriations necessary to carry
the fight to the finish.
Supplemental appropriations may be
granted other departments for public
ity campaigns against prices, but the
bulk of the high cost of living fund
will be given the department of JUS
tice so it may get rough with the
profiteers," as Chairman Good of the
appropriations committee has ex-
pressed it.
Watch Retailers Now.
Unless reductions in wholesale food
| prices resulting from sharp breaks on
| the produce market are passed on to
! the consumer. vigorous punitive action
will be taken by the department of
! justice, it was said. Since most deal
4 ers now are cooperating in the cam
| n Twin frio iz
| said the lower wholesale prices should
| be reflected on the retail market in
| the near future.
Profiteering in sugar virtually has
ceased, according to Judge Ames. as
sistant to the attorney general in
| charge of administering the food con-
troll law. Eleven cents. he said, now
/ is accepted as a just price by dealers
| thruout the country.
The high costs of living are due
| primarily to the curtailment in the
/ production of nearly all commodities,
boarding, profiteering and initiation OF
! currency, the council OF national de-
| fense said in an exhaustive report sent
! to congress.
Suggestions of the council for meet
| ing the situation include stimulation
! of production: repression of boarding
and profiteering, Improvement in the
methods of distribution and marketing
and the dissemination of more exact
news concerning probable future ma
| tional requirements.
Another move in the government g
| campaign to combat the high cost of
| living was made by Wheat Director
julius H. Barnes in warning all deal
ers in wheat. wheat flour and other
products delinquent in taking out fed
eral licenses to obtain them at once
| under an act of congress of last March
and presidential procla amation of last
| June will be rigidly enforced, Director
Barnes notified the dealers. The only
| exceptions to the regulations OF the
wheat directorate are bakers consum-
ing less than fifty barrels of wheat
flour monthly, retailers. farmers and
| farmers cooperative associations.