The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-17
PALMER PROMISES
FULLEST AID IN
BATTLING H. c. |.
Attorney.G General Pledges Full
Power OF His Department in
Prosecution of HoarderS
and ProflteeFS.

CHICAGO. Dec. t1,--Attorney-G eneral
Palmer yesterday pledged the full pow
er Of the department Of justice In the
prosecution Of hoarders and profteers
IN a talk in which he outlined to 400
city officials, heads OF civic organiza :
tons and club women Of Illinois the
program OF his department In combat
tlnE the high cost Of living. A plea for
the assistance Of every man and WON I,
an IN ue country IN . national fight
against high prices was made BY Mr..
Palmer at the meeting which was
called BY Gov. Lowden.
Explaining the plan Of action, where
by tair price completes in every COM
munity become agents OF the federal
government In enforcing its degrees,
| Mr.. Palmer laid down asproRrafn offive
conservations which, II carried out,
would do much TO deal death blow to
the high cost Of living.
j. Organization Of fair price commit.
tees in every city and county. backed
by mayors and prosecuting attorneys,
With the committees supporting United
States district attorneys.
z. Organization Of women to refuse
V buy, anything but actual necessities
until the prices come down.
g. Holding Of "eonservahon' and
economy meetings in every community
under the auspices Of civic bodies.
T. Influence OF mayors and prosecut-
Ing attorneys 10 be brought to bear on
me warning elements to prevent fac
tional disturbances In industry and par.
ticularly TO bring about an industrial
peace Of at least six months duration
| g. Rehabilitation of the four .ininute
| men TO deliver work and save" ad-
dresses in theaters each night.
| Despite alt objections and obstacles,
I propose to 80 through with this cam
paign," Mr.. Palmer declared "If indus
! trial conditions do not get too bad DUR
Ing the next few months we can bring
real relief"
Enumerates Causes,
= The chief causes of the high cost Of
| living, he pointed out, were decreased
production, incident to the war; inflated
ings, and heavy taxes, which, he
charged, were passed on by business
men to the ultimate consumer.
I'm every line OF trade there are self
ish and greedy men who have taken
advantage Of aftsr-war, condition to
Palmer said. "Such men are the prof.
teers and purpose to devote all the
power at my command to root them
| out and expose them to the public
scorn, and II necessary In public. pris-
ons, The profiteer Is worse than UNI
| patriotic; he Is criminal | ask that
prosecuting attorneys Of Illinois go
after those. devils with all the force you
command"
Activities Of the department Of JUS
| tice, he said, had uncovered 2l9 cases
against food hoarders which had re-
suited in the libeling and distribution
In IS states OF millions OF dollars worth
Of food .......
| against prOfteera. many Of whom
we're indicted and some Of whom were
| serving sentences, he added
| MIR. Palmer descFihed the efforts to
| get congress to continue the operation
| Of the Lever food control act for six
months after the declaration OF peace,
| and to pass law requiring the price
at which an article left the producer
| to be stamped on the article. II we
| can get that law we will stop profit
teertng," he said
An organization OF women, organ
| lied rs they never were before will
do more to bring down prices than any
| single movement. When women make
| up their minds they will not buy at
present prices then prices win come
down
women should set their faces
changing styles Merchants are shout
| ing buy now My advice Is, do not
buy now, Wait for lower prices. When
demand is lesSened, the supply is in
creased, and prices must inevitably
| fall"