The sun., 1919-08-21
Corner store HoIdup.

THE entire food control act will be
waste paper IL the Government cannot
reach the retail gouger," Mr.. Palmer
said. THE Department Of Justice has
had more complaints against the retail
gougers than any other class. We have
found that thousands of corner stores
are taking advantage of the situation
20 charge exorbitant prices and this is
what the people are protesting about
THE small dealer is the man they
come directly in contact with, and II
Is he as much as any other dealer in
commodities that they are demanding
action against.
These dealers often control their
surrounding localities, and while the
majority of retail merchants are fair,
there are many black sheep among them,
and we have found that in almost every
Town there is a corner store informing
people prices must be high and taking
advantage of this to extort large profits,
Mr.. Palmer said he hoped to reach
"the little profteers" through the fair
price committees that are being estap-
lished in every county of the country.
These committees will find what is
a fair price in each community" said
Mr. Palmer, and we intend to base
our court actions largely on their ind
ings. Much can be done by the publica-
ton of these prices, and II court proceed
ings are brought against profiteers these
fair prices will be reflected among the
turymen. Thirty-six State food adj
manifestations who served during the
war with the Food Administration bave
assured the Department of their CO.
operation.
I'VE have started actions against the
big packers, but it is obvious that 1t
would not be fair to prosecute only them
and the large department stores with an
annual business of more than 100000
and let the little gougers go free.
Penalties to BE Drastic.
IT believe that II the Department can
make some conspicuous examples OF the
profiteers and it Is realized that the
Government means business. the present
problem will be solved largely.
Regarding the farmers and farm or
CARNATIONS Mr.. Palmer said: Il am
willing to exempt them from the hoard
ing provisions of the food control act
but not from straight out pronteering'
and | see no reason why the Govern
ment should not exercise control over
corporations of farmers organized for
proft | was informed to-day that such
a corporation has had in storage 1000
600 sacks of the 1918 California bean
crop"
Mr.. Palmer opposed the plans OF
Chairman Haugen for a sweeping pro-
eramme of executive price fixing. Such
a programme could not produce results
for several months, and he declared The
situation demanded immediate remedies
Mr.. Haugen's ideas, he said, would re-
ouire the revlving OF the complete ma
chinery of the Food Administration OF
the license system used during the war
and Mr.. Palmer said both OF these would
be too cumbersome.
1.-THE proposal to have the President
fix all prices and then give the Depart
ment power to prosecute all violators Is
so drastic and far reaching and con
stitutes a new Government policy thai
am sure IL would not be passed unit
after long delay" Mr.. Palmer said. BY
the time the measure was passed and the
machinery set up to enforce 1t the food
control act probably would be out .oi
force, as 1t expires with the proclama
ton of peace. The reviving of the FooC
Administration would cost at least 81.
600 900 a month, that being the cost dur
ing the war with thousandsf Of volun
teers.
Relief Seen I'm Amendments.
.Nv idea is that the best plan would
be to amend the act only to Include
wearing apparel, and provide penalties
OF 5000 and two years in prison. as
have suggested. This 1t seems to me
could be passed speedily"
Mr.. Haugen. after an all day meeting
of the committee, said his programme
probably would be abandoned
Chairman Haugen pointed out that tn
plan of executive price fixing was to b
used only in lieu of any other plan t
fight the profiteers the Administrative
RiRht desire to use. The Attorney
General then pointed out that this woul
provide a loophole. as every prohtee
would demand that the Presidents price
he announced before he be prosecuted.
81 don't see how we could prosecrt
until the President had determined thes
prices" Mr.. Palmer said, "and the Pres
ident OF course could not fix these price
In a day. He would have to have com