The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-09
STRIKE
NO CAUSE FOR BIG
BOOST IN PRICES
District Attorney Suggests
That II Any Rations Be-
come Scarce They Be Pro-
rated and Not Advanced.

The question Of supply and demand
insofar as 1t pertains to foodstuffs is
receiving the attention OF w. D. Kyser,
United States district attorney, and
the possibility of local shortage In
perishable edibleg as a result of the
railroad situation was pointed out by
him as being the cause OF an increase
in prices on the. local market Unfair
advantage should not be taken by To-
cal lobbers. and wholesalers of this sit
uation in the opinion OF Mr., Kyser and
the normal peices should be maintained
as far as possible, as the fair thing to
the consuming public.
Mr., Kyser's Shea Is that while there
may occur local shortages of certain
foodstuffs as tomatoes, potatoes, etc,
due to inability Of the producers to get
their products to the local market
because Of interrupted train service
the wholesalers and jobbers should
not increase the price Of these food
gtuffs abnormally because OF that con-
dition.
"The fair thing to do" Mr.. Kyser
said would he for the normal price to
be maintained az long as the supply
lasts and when 1t Is exhausted the
consuming public could be SO advised
and the only alternative then would be
to do without whatever products are
not available"
Abnormal prices under such circum.
stances might or might not be profit
eering In the opinion of the district at
torney and would be question TO be
determined after careful investigation
He expressed the opinion, however
that an increase amounting to fro1
80 to 100 per cent would not benefit
the producer but rather would go into
the pockets Of the dealer making such
an increase,
AS Mr. Kyser stated to The News
| Scimitar Friday specific information as
to instances Of profiteertng are vel
that persons furnishing information b'
certain that their information rs speci-
| fic and susceptible Of proof
An instance Saturday morning demon
strated the necessity OF this when q
citizen very positively Informed the dis
trict attorney that on Friday Irish pota.
toes were selling IN Memphis for ss.S'
| Ing the price was $3.50 per bushel In.
| yestigation revealed that the Informant
had confused the price Of potatoes pei
| bushel with the price per hundred
pound sack. Potatoes are sold by weigh
and the price per hundred varies &C.
local market Friday at 1915 and $40
per sack of 100 pounds. A slight in
crease In the price OF potatoes was in
| dicated in Memphis effective Monday
but tbs Increase viii amount TO prob
ably 26 cents on the 100 and Is at.
| tributed wholly to the law Of supply ant
| demand
All the machinery of the district at
| torney's office is IN motion to seek out
! the violations of the food control &C
and antitrust laws, and while no arres
| has as yet been made in Memphis, Mr.
! Kyser states that the instructions o
| the attorney general will be followed L
| the latter and that wherever violation.
are found arrests and prosecutions will
be promptly made.
| He indicated that the charging o
| abnormal prices for foodstuffs beeaus,
\ of temporary shortage would be investi
gated and the action to be taken by hi
office In such a case would be gov
erned by the evidence presented In eacl
| specific case.