Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-11
ATTORNEY GENERAL BEGINS
INVESTIGATION Of PRICES
"'.'!I!A'!RGED BY RETAIL TRADE
Asks Food AdminISss@ f Every State to Examine Into
Conditions in Every Co.. and Publish Lists of Articles
and What Should Be Charged for Them if Merchant Took
Only Fair Profit.
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tsY MORNING. JOURNAL SPECIAL LFAsEn ~iEEl
Washington, Aug. 10.--Attorney
General Palmer started today to as
certain how much of the high cost of
living is due to excessive profits by
retailers.
In telegram to all state food adj
ministrators who worked with Ad-
ministrator Hoover during the war,
the attorney general requested ap-
pointment of fair price committee
in each county to investigate what is
being charged for retail necessities
and If in excess of what the commit
tee considers just, to publish a list OF
fair prices for guidance of the public.
Cannot Prosecute Directly.
This is the extra ;esal" means Of
reaching profiteering which Mr.. Pal
mer recently indicated was under con-
sideration. He has frankly admitted
from the start that there was no
means to prosecute directly a man
guilty of eXtoruon in prices, Retailers
gouging the ultimate consumer Will
have to be disciplined by public SEN
timent, which officials have no doubt
i5 sufficiently alert to act vigorously
III Ci'ttl -Nbl ItiStC' IlOdl utlSt on lilb
other hand, can be reached through
the war time food laws or the Sher-
man act, and Mr. Palmer requested
the state food administrators to trans
NIT to him any evidence of boarding
or other violations or the law which
they might encounter in their work,
with the promise that the govern
ment's law enforcement machinery
would act promptly.
Pressing Necessity Exists.
There Is a pressing necessity for
restoration of normal conditions Mr..
Palmer's telegram said, requesting.
the men who did such effective work
during the war to take up the burden
again. They were asked to serve
without compensation, the attorney
general believing that the public serv-
ice to be performed now Is as impor-
tant as when the country was engaged
in hostilities, and that no patriotic
citizen would refuse the call,
Text of Telegram.
The attorney generals telegram
Follows.
In order to secure accurate infor-
nation relative to charges of prof
teering by dealers in necessary COM
modities it is the desire of the gov
t' lliNllN W doGtl ldlIl WHtilltE OF HDL
such dealers are making more than
fair margin of profit, win you as
sist in your state by requesting those
persons who have been county food
administrators under your jurisdiction
to appoint fair price committees. in
cluding one retailer of groceries, one
of dry goods. a representative Of the
producers of organized labor, of
housewives, two of three representa-
tlVes of the public generally, also a
wholesaler when practicable? Please
request them to pursue approximately
the same inquiry with reference to
food products and the ordinary neces-
sites in dry goods and clothing that
were pursued by your fair price COM
mittees under the food administration
act. This committee will be an extra
legal body without power to summon
witnesses or fix prices 1t is request
ed, however, to ascertain the cost
prices determine a fair margin of
profit and II retail prices are in excess
of what the committee regards a fair
price, to have published its list of
fair prices, reporting to you for re-
view You are requested to report
to the department of justice
n general review Of the situation in
your state.
To Hunt Out Hoardcrs.
Amy evidence of boarding or other
violations of the food control act
which may be developed in the work
of such committee should be turned
over to the United States attorney,
who will be instructed to employ all
his resources as we'll as those of the
| bureau of investigation to cooperate
with you and your committees in
seeking out and Furnishing all violators
| of the law.
There Is pressing necessity for res
toraton of normal conditions and it is
| believed that through the same organ
| ization which you had as federal food
administrator you and your county
administrators. together with their
appointees, can render valuable
service to the country at this time, and
your cooperation and theirs, without
compensation, will be greatly appre-
| ciated. The widest publicity of this
! movement and the results obtained by
| the county committees, it is believed,
| VIII be an important factor in it's sue
| cess Please wire whether the govern
ment can count upon your active CO.