The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-08-22
SECRET SERVICE
HUNT PROFITEERS
Trade Commission Wants Hall
Million to Continue Its
Inquiries.
CONGRESS TO ACT SOON.
Tess Holds There Is Enough Law
Enforced - Senate Agricultural
Committee Says 1t Would Give
Producers Returns.

Washington. - The permission OF
Congress to employ the United States
secret service in hunting down prof.
iteers and hoarders of foodstuffs was
asked in letter sent by Secretary OF
the Treasury Glass to. Speaker Gillett
of the house of representatives, with
the approval of President Wilson. Inc
letter asked an additional appropr'a-
ton of $4,000 to carry on this WORK.
A half million dollar appropriation
was asked by the Federal Trade Com
mission to carry on inquiries directed
by President Wilson and by Congress
into profiteering and unfair business
practices by corporations producing
food products and other necessities OF
life.
Other developments in the high cost
of living situation we're:
Senators from agricultural states
Joined with the Senate Committee on
Agriculture in a statement that reduc-
lions in the price of farm products VIII
result in denying to the farmer Nv
ing wages" and that farmers are in.
clined to look with suspicion on eff
forts to bring down food prices just at
the time their crops are coming to mar.
ket
Senator Mcclellan, Democrat, of Ten
nessee, told the House Agricultural
Committee 1.-The packers are in abso-
Lutte control of the food situation" He
said his bill for controlling the cold
storage when first introduced in 1913
was opposed by the department of ag-
riculture and by Federal Trade Com
missioner Murdoch, then member of
the house.
Representative Tess, Republican, Of
Ohio, asserted in an address In the
house that existing laws are adequate
to meet the present situation If prop
erly employed. He spoke for re-
duction in the volume of the currency
and dismantling nf the war machine
as the two best remedies for the high
cost of living
Representative Gard, Democrat, Of
Ohio, introduced "necessaries con-
troll act" providing maximum penalties
of $4,000 fine or five years imprison-
ment, or both, for profiteering and
boarding necessities of life. The term
necessary" is defined in the bill as
covering food, feed, fuel, wearing APP
parel and all other commodities neces-
sary to life.
Representative Goodykoontz, Repub-
lican, of West Virginia, introduced a
resolution ordering the House Jul
dietary Committee to report all meas
ures aimed at profiteering by produc-
ers, wholesalers, jobbers or retailers
without further hearings He gave no.
tice that he would call up the resolu-
ton for action at the first opportunity.
The request of the Federal Trade
Commission for an additional $500, 200
appropriation was contained in let
ter from Acting Secretary of the
Treasury Moyle, submitting the follow
ing estimate by Victor Murdoch, chair
man of the commission:
For all expenses necessary in con-
nection with the collection of Informal
ton as may be directed by the Presi-
dent of the United States or Congress
or within the scope of its powers re-
garding the production, ownership,
manufacture, storage and distribution
of fOOdstuffs or other necessities and
the products or by-products arising
from or in connection with the manu-
facture or preparation thereof, to-
gether with figures of cost and whole.
sale and retail prices, 100000. said
amount to remain available until ex-
! pended"
The request of Secretary Glass for
permission to use the secret service In
detecting hoarders and profteers was
made necessary by the elimination of
clause in the sundry civil bill au-
thorizing the President to employ the
secret service without reference to ex-
listing limitations in an emergency.