The Mena weekly star., 1919-08-21
ONE LONE Retail
GROCER IS FINED
But Million or Two Is Being Asked
to Investigate Profiteering and At
torney General Palmer Talks
Storage Conditions Up.

new developments in the government's
fight to reduce the high cost of liv-
! ing came today.
One of the most interesting was the
announcement by Attorney General
/ Palmer that the first federal convic-
ton for profiteering had been obtained.
District Attornel Lucey telegraphed
from Binghampton, N. Y, that re-
tail grocer had been fined $4,000 for
selling sugar at Is cents pound. No
details were given and the law under
which the case was brought was not
known here.
"A few good cases of profteering
in each state will settle that trouble, .
Mr.. Palmer remarked.
In order to reach persons guilty of
raising prices exorbitantly, or of
boarding food to advance prices, Mr..
Palmer submitted to the agriculture
committee of congress the draft of an
amendment to the food control act
extending it's provisions to clothing
and containers of foods and feeds, and
providing a penalty of $4,000 fine or
two years Imprisonment, or both, for
violation of the law Chairman
Haugen of the house committee an
nounced that the amendment would be
considered Immediately by a sub
committee and that a report might be
made tomorrow.
Three cabinet officers asked that
special appropriations from congress
for the campaign against inflated
prices. Secretary Redfeld requested
$4,000 for the work of the bureau of
standards in assuring full weight and
measures, and the bureau of fisheries
in introducing new fish foods. Secre-
tary Wilson asked for $475, 900 for the
employment of special agents and 9TH
ers and Mr.. Palmer requested $1,000
600 for the bureau of investigation
and for the expenses of the state food
administrators assisting the depart
ment of justice.
Another 100000 was asked for an
THRUST suits, especially that against
the five big packing companies. The
attorney general also wants 100000
for other work of the department not
directly connected with the living
problem, such as the enforcement of
war time prohibition, prosecution of
appeals and hiring of special assist
ants.
Asked today if he had any reports
indicating sufficient food held in stor-
age to affect prices materially, if re-
leased, Mr.. Palmer revealed that
number of governors had appealed to
him to cut "red tape" in forcing on the
market amazing quantities" of food
stuffs now in storage. In some cases,
it was said, the food had been held
longer than permitted by state laws,
but technicalities regarding interstate
commerce had prevented the governors
from undertaking seizure or prosecu-
ton. Mr.. Palmer ordered all district
attorneys to assist the governors.
Reports of excessive stocks of food
held in storage have been received
from at least six states, the attorney
general said. He declined to be more
specific, but it was indicated that New
Jersey was one of the states.
Storage conditions also are engage
ing the attention of the state food adj
illustrators, several of whom have
asked if they were authorized to pub
lish the facts where it appeared that
more food was being held from the
public than the reasonable require
ment of dealer demanded.
IL told them to go right ahead and
to use the Names" Mr.. Palmer an
nounced decisively. 81 am interested
in getting as much information on this
subject to the ultimate consumer as l
possibly can"
Reports to the department showed
that organization of fair price COM
mittees in counties was proceeding
rapidly.
The effect of the governments cam
paign was indicated in the revision by
the war department of prices to be
charged for surplus army food. Re-
auctions were made ITO meet compe-
tition by retailers"
Authority asked yesterday by Sec
rotary Glass to use the treasury Sc
cret service in the fight against high
prices was based on the use of the
service in food Investigations during
the war.
The cost of living continued to color
much of the debate in congress today