The Washington times., 1919-10-25

FUEL PROFITS
TO Be PROBED
New Fair Price Committee to
Begin Hunt for Profiteers
and Hoarders Next Week.

Upon the request Of A. Mitchell Pal
mer. Attorney General of the United
States. Clarence r. Wilson, Federal
Food Administrator, today began the
active Reorganization of the Fair
Price Committee to include represen-
tatives OF the public and dealers In
food, fuel, and wearing apparel The
new committee will be complete by
the latter part of next week and
ready to begin active service in a re-
newed campaign to lower the cost OF
living in Washington.
Acting upon the request of Mr.. Pail
mer, letters were mailed today from
the office of the local food admins
traitor in the Department Of Justice
to the Central Labor Union, the
Washington Consumers League, three
citizens Of the Capital. a dealer in
wholesale groceries. the Washington
Retail Grocers' Association, the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associs-
ton, and the Washington Shoe Re-
tailers' Association, meat dealers and
butchers, and dealers in coal and
wood.
As soon as all the letters are
answered Mr.. Wilson will call to-
gether the three citizens to whom the
letters were addressed and the dele
gates representing the organizations
to which the appeal was made. One
delegate will be sent from each of.
the latter. The membership OF the
new Fair Price Committee will be
approximately twelve men, including
Mr.. Wilson, chairman.
Substance Of Letter.
The substance OF the letter, briefly,
follows:
The Attorney General has request
ed the creation of a new Fair Price
Committee to aid In the enforcement
of the new laws against pronteering
and boarding OF food, fuel and wear
ing apparel.
The purpose of the committee will
be to cooperate with the United
States district attorney and the grand
jury in prosecuting cases of profit
eering. or food boarding.
The membership Of the committee
will consist Of representatives Of the
consumer and the dealer.
The cooperation with the district
attorney will consist of presenting
data showing what should be a fair
margin of profit on food, fuel and
wearing apparel. This data will be
made the basis for indictments.
All trials will result from cases of
profiteering and food boarding
brought to the attention of the
United States district attorney
May Net Amplify Fair Lists.
The method Of action OF the old
fair price committee, created more
than two months ago and consisting
only Of dealers IN food, has been
changed, Mr.. Wilson pointed out this
morning, as we'll as its membership.
Although the point had not been def
nitely decided this morning, 1t Is
doubtful whether any fair price list
will be issued to show the margin
OF profit which should be gained from
the sale of wearing apparel and fuel.
The fair price lists, heretofore issued
weekly on food commodities, probably
will continue.
The weekly issuing of a fair price
list on clothing probably would be
unnecessary and would entail a great
amount Of work on the. part Of the
committee, IL was pointed out. There
is extreme variance in the prices OF
clothing and other wearing apparel,
and the prices constantly change.
On the other hand, the subcommit-
tees which are formed from the fair
price committee, each to have a spe-
cialty in either food, fuel or wearing
apparel, will have constantly at hand
all necessary information for indict-
ment of those charged with profiteer-
ing.
Means "Show Down" Near.
The newly created fair price body
will contain dealers in fuel. This
came as a surprise to many who have
been following the progress of the
committee so far, but II is designed
to protect against every form Of
profiteering which has been alleged
to exist in the Capital.
The reorganization of the fair price
body brings the matter OF profiteer-
ing in Washington to a Showdown"
There have been heaped upon the
Washington merchants as a whole nu-
merous charges of profiteering for
the last three months. Anyone who
discovers what he considers profit
eering on the part of a food dealer,
restaurant proprietor, clothing dealer
or fuel dealer may report the matter
to the Department OF Justice, togeth-
er with the facts of the case. IT will
be searchingly Investigated imme-
diately, and. provided the accused is
guilty, he will be punished.
SUNDAY SCHOOL INSTITUTE