Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-08-12
NATION IN DRIVE
FOR CUT IN FOOD
Federal, State and City Forces
Band TO End the H.
c. of l.
BATTLE AGAINST PROFITEERS
Senate Banking and Currency Com.
mittee to Study Initiation Charges
House Starts Investigation
May Restrict Packers

Washington, Aug. o.-IOcal OmcIdls
all over the nation are lining up to
support the government in the light
against high prices now being planned
by Attorney General Palmer.
Investigations are beginning In
many sections to determine production
costs and wholesale and retail profits.
Governors, mayors and grand Juries
are ordering searching probes.
Officials of the justice department
predicted investigations will be under
way in at least thirty states within
two weeks. Local officials in Ohio,
Michigan, Maryland and New York al
ready have investigations under way.
Data to be obtained by local investi-
cations will be at the disposal of At
tOrney General Palmer if he wants IT
to aid in his nationwide campaign
against profiteers, officials here said.
A vast amount of data bearing upon
every angle of the problem of eliminat-
ing profteers and jamming down the
cost Of living is being accumulated In
congress and by executive depart
ments of the government.
Exact figures on prices of all farm
and dairy products received by farmer
and wholesaler are being collected In
all sections of the country by the agri-
cultural department.
Retail price figures for all principal
cities are being collected by the labor
department, while the federal trade
commission is investigating scores Of
articles, including bread, canned Vege-
tables, steel and shoes.
Data already printed and available
here would make a path 10000 miles
long if the volumes were laid edge to
edge, when it is completed.
Some of the developments scheduled
were:
Attorney General Palmer's commit
tee, made up of cabinet officers ana
other high government officials, Tues
day will hear the report of q subcom-
mittee which will recommend the re-
Vival of the food administration in
some form.
The committee will also have up for
discussion measures to reduce coal
prices. forcing the stamping of prOduc-
ton costs on necessities, licensing
food dealers, and proposals to cut the
wheat price below the 1925 guarantee.
The president will await the report
of Palmer's committee. His recon-
mendation. which will follow this re-
port, probably. will take the form of a
message to congress.
At the capitol, the senate banking
end currency committee will begin
hearings on possible ways to debate
the currency as ordered in a reSolu-
ton introduced by Senator Myers and
passed by the senate Saturday.
In the house, Representative Igoe
will demand action on his resolution
authorizing the federal trade commits
sion to investigate the price Of shoes
and the alleged control of packers
over the leather market.
League supporters were planning to
use the situation presented by mount
ing prices and the fight to bring them
down as an argument for the early
ratification of the peace treaty, so that
the world can get back to a normal
base.
Consideration is being given to a bill
submitted by Representative Kelly,
Pennsylvania, and approved by the
federal trade commission, which would
restrict packers handling food staples
to four months supply at any given
time.
The Kelly bill is intended to open
the warehouses of all packers handling
general food lines, such as eggs, but
ter, canned goods, smoked and frozen
meats and grocery staples. and by
keeping these products flowing through
the packing houses restore operation
of the law of supply and demand as it
applies to foodstuffs.
Any person could go to a United
States district attorney with evidence
of food boarding beyond the four
months maximum.