Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-08-12
j. s. GOES AFTER
FOOD PROF|TEERS
Machinery Set in Motion to Crush
High Cost Ogre.
WILL NOT TRY EXPERIMENTS
To Keep Clear of Substituting Food
Action viii Be Earnest, Aggres-
sive and Vigorous, Directed by
Department of Justice.

Washington, aug. 6.-The govern
ment is going to prosecute the food
profiteers in the United States as an
immediate remendy for the high cost
of living.
This was announced by Attorney
General Palmer after conference
with the president which followed an
all-day elaboration of the special cab
met committee on means of reducing
the prices of necessities to the agitat-
ed public.
The department of justice, it was
declared, will employ every resource
at its command to ferret cut and pros
ecute the hoarders of food and those
who are charging eXtortiOnate prices.
Hit Big and Little.
Big and little profiteers are to be
prosecuted and congress is to be asked
to supplement- the existing penal code
of the food act with amendments
which will enable the government to
reach its hand out and grapple the re-
taller who in many communities is
charging exorbitant prices for food
stuffs.
The president authorized the state
ment that he will address congress on
the subject within a few days and at
that time will submit recommendations
to aid in dealing with the critical sit
uation adequately and effectively. Be
yond that announcement the president
had nothing to say regarding the issue.
Profiteers the Target
It was made clear, however, that the
government does not contemplate en-
tering upon any experiment in sub
sidizing food, such as purchasing
wheat at the guaranteed price, and
selling it for less to the miller, maxi
ing up the deficit from the billion-dol-
lar wheat guarantee fund.
Action, as Attorney General Palmer
put it, earnest, aggressive, vigorous
action" will be directed by the de-
partment of justice against al profit
GERS, and it was reported that among
the first big offenders to be proceeded
against will be the big packers.
Following the attorney generals
conference with the president, Mr..
Palmer counselled with Charles f.
Clyne, district attorney Of Chicago, and
C. E. Ames of the department of JUS
tice.
1t was admitted that the particular
subject of the conference was the Chi
cago packers. When asked about the
conference, District Attorney Clyne
said he could not discuss it.
Will Not Subsidize Food.
The decision of the administration
not to heed suggestions relating to
government subsidization of food was
made public by julius Barnes, director
of the grain corporation, who confer
red with the president.
Mr.. Barnes issued a long statement
to explain the world wheat situation,
in the course of which he said that the
wheat corporation was now engaged in
buying new flour at less than market
prices and that this would be sold to
the public at $40 barrel, no more and
no less, in any community, where deal
ers sought to charge more for the
product.
Discusses Cost of Bread.
I'm America" said Mr. Barnes,
flour is 80 per cent of the final whole
sale cost of bread. and 90 per cent is
made up of labor, other ingredients
ana delivery. Roughly speaking, to
reduce the 10-cent loaf of bread to 9
cents, 60 cents per bushel must be
taken from the price of wheat.
eff flour were supplied to the bakers
free (the present cost e labor and |
other materials remainine the same) |
we could hardly attain a retail 5-cent |
loaf.
eff, with later developments, |
world wheat price is indicated lower
than the guaranteed basis, the wheat !
director will not hesitate t. readjust |
American flour prices at the expense of
the national treasury, as authorized |
by congress-"