The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-27
ARE AFTER sCALpERs


 It developed today that several gov ernment agencies, including the depart ment of justice, the federal trade com mission and the treasury. have taken steps looking to investigation of re- ports that Liberty Bond "scalpers" are doing a thriving business in many lo- calities, buying up bonds of past is sues at very low prices. These bond brokers. it has been reported, urge per sons to sell bonds already bought and to subscribe for the new issue of Lib erty notes.
 In some cases amateur brokers have paid as little as $70 and $50 for $1o0 Liberty Bonds, although tho market prices for all past issues are above sso The investigation has been under taken to ascertain whether buyers of these bonds have misrepresented the market value in an effort to lower the buying price, Newspapers were urged again to publish in prominent position the market quo tations for bonds of past issues. as telegraphed to them daily, to prevent small bond owners from being mulcted of their savings.
 Other reports to the treasury are to the effect that bond buyers, in large cities, advertise that they have been licensed" by the government to buy Liberty Bonds Officials today ex- plained that no brokers have been IT. censed by the government to buy bonds and that no formal restrictions are inn posed by the treasury. In several cities men have established what they call .Liberty Bond exchanges offering to take Liberty Bonds in trade for cheap jewelry or other merchandise sold in the establishment, and to pay cash balance above the price of the mer- chandise.
 Prevention of fraud or of sharp prac- tices in these cases rests largely with local Liberty Loan committees, it was said. since grounds cannot often be found for prosecution under federal laws.
 OUTLOOK GOOD
 Reports from all districts tonight told of well-sustained interest and the out look generally was said to be good, said the treasurys review of the Victory Loan campaign. Tn certain sections of the northwest difficulty was being ex- perienced in reaching the rural sections and sales in the mining and rural sec tions of parts of the central west con tsnue to be disappointing.
 St. Louis district managers reported that the southern part or lHuidhd III that district leads other states of the dstrcit with 66 per cent of the quota al- ready subscribed. Vincennes, the oldest city in the state, has again gone over the top first, as in previous loans. Fifteen Kentucky counties have passed their goals.
 Arkansas banks telegraphed asking permission to pledge the states quota, and received this answer from the state chairman:
 Nothing doing; it is peoples loan.
 Akron, Ohio, was the largest city to obtain it's quota today. The Cleveland district was still leading all districts In the number of communities. having ob- tained their quota for total of l45. Bos- ton was second with Ill. Enthusiasm in the Chicago district continues to en- courage the workers, report to the treas ury said.
 The Victory ship Crane. which is mak- ing the San Diego-Panama canal league of the Victory ship journey, slowed down it's engines off the lower coast of Cali fornia today and will not speed up again until sales increase. Thinking appar- ently that the sales were slower than they really are, the crew flashed mes sage to the Navy Department. asking If the people of America have forsaken us"
 Many foreign stations of the navy which had previously not reported in the campaign, cabled their subscriptions to- day. One of these came from the naval