Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-15
NO ACTION ON
FOOD QUESTION
TAKEN IN OMAHA
People Wondering What Has
Become Of City Hall In
vestigation-Mayor Pleads
Ignorance.

Mayor Smith Wednesday stated
that he did not know whether prices
in Omaha were going up or down.
That was his reply when asked
what effect, if any. had resulted from
| an investigation started by him in
the city council chamber last Mon
day morning and which was abrupt
ly postponed indefinitely.
what has become of the city hall
investigation into the high cost OF
living?" is question heard on every
hand.
Another blow to the public is a
boost in the price of flour, which
was made while Mayor Smith,
County Attorney Shotwell, Assist
ant United States District Attorney
Peterson and others were talking
and promising action.
Other Cities Act.
Meanwhile Omaha is watching
and waiting and praying for relief,
while Geographic reports from other
cities continue to bring in accounts
of material reductions in prices, due
to the activities of city, county, state
and federal officials.
Omaha continues to pay toll to
the profiteers while the retailers and
wholesalers pass the buck back and
forth.
The, matter was put up to the
mayor Wednesday, for an express
sion as to what he believed hadre-
suited in Omaha thus far to relieve
the people of reign of high prices.
Mayor Doesn't Know"
II don't know whether prices
have gone up or down. I haven't
had time to inquire into that.
want to get these municipal stores
started first and then we will resume
the investigation into prohteerlng
and allowing fruits and vegetables
to spoil in cars" the mayor replied.
The beginning of such an impor-
tant investigation as was started in
the city hall last Monday morning,
and then adjourning at noon for the
week, is said to be almost unpre-
cedented in the history of such at
fairs. When the investigation was
started the mayor publicly an
nounced that it was his purpose to
get at all of the facts and to expose
the guilty ones. The week is nearly
over and nothing of any practical
value has been accomplished insofar
as the investigation is concerned.
"Writes" For Information.
City Attorney Weaver, who is do
ms the investigating for the mayor,
said: 1--WE have written to the
Union Pacific and Rock Island rail-
roads for detailed information re-
garding cars of fruits and vegetables
received in Omaha during July and
August.
They are all prohteering here
and it is only matter of getting at
the facts. 1t is an outrage. A dairy
man, who lives out in the county.
told me Wednesday that the Omaha
milk distributors are paying him on
the basis of 7 cents per quart for his
product. We know that milk is IS
cents per quart in Omaha, which
gives 8 cents margin per quart to
tn. Omaha distributors. Pastures
have been unusually fine this season
in this part of the country"
Shotwell Also "Waits."
II am waiting for the city hall
investigation to be concluded and
then l will know whether there is
anything upon which this office can
base any legal action" said County
Attorney Shotwell.
THE only state law under which
| have to work on is that against
combinations to fix prices and I
have already asked the public to
furnish any evidence they may have
to warrant filing complaints. I hope
that the city's investigation will
yield us something upon which to
work. I have heard many citizens
assert that there are price combina-
tons, but as yet I have been unable
to obtain any tangible proof. We
will get real results, in my judg-
ment, when the federal authorities
begin to prosecute under the laws
passed by congress. The people
must remember that it is one thing
to suspect combination and anoth-
err thing to prove it.
1T is regrettable that we do not
have a state law against allowing
food to go to waste. There is no
state law against PROTECTING except
where a combination can be estab-
lished."
What U. S. Man Says.
Nothing specifically new on the
situation" replied F. A. Peterson,
assistant United States attorney,
when asked Wednesday in his office
had made any progress that he could