Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-14

Attorney General Palmer Says
Indications Are That Vast
Quantities of FoodStuffS are
in Warehouses,
THREE DEPARTMENTS
MOVE APPROPRIATIONS
Army Prices Are Reduced To
Meet Competition By Mer-
chantsi Probe to Be General
and Deep,

lay MORNING JouRnAL SPECIAL IRAsEp wiNul
Washington, Aug. 1S.--1mportant
rev developments In the government )
fight to reduce the high cost of living
came today.
One of the most interesting was
announcement by Attorney General
Palmer that the first federal conyic-
ton for profiteering had been OBJ
tanned District Attorney Lucey tele-
grsphed from Binghamton, N. Y, tina:
a retail grocer had been fined $500
for selling sugar at 15 cents pound.
No details were given ami the law
under which the case was brought
was not known here.
"A few good cases of profiteering
in each state will settle that trouble" !"
Mr.. Palmer remarked.
In order to bring to book persons
guilty of raising prices exorbitantly
or boarding food to advahce prices,
Mr.. Palmer submitted to the agricul-
ture committee OF congress the draft
Of an amendment to the food control
act extending its provisions to cloth
ing and containers of foods and feeds
and providing a penalty of 5000 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 O sub
committee and that a report might
be made tomorrow.
1t is Mr.. Palmers idea that this
amendment should be considered be-
fore taking up other amendments
suggested by President Wilson to ex-
tend the effective life of the food
control act beyond the war period.
Ask for Appropriations.
Three cabinet officers asked spec
ial appropriations for congress for
the campaign against inflated prices
Secretary Redfield requested $410, 900
for work of the bureau of standards
in assuring full weight and measure
and of the bureau of fisheries in ir-
Producing new fish foods Secretary
Wilson asked S475,000 for employ
ment of special agents and others and
Mr.. Palmer requested $1.000,000 for
the bureau of investigation and for
the expenses of the state food admin
istratiors assisting the department of
justice.
Another 100000 was asked for
antitrust suits, especially that against
the five big packing companies.
The attorney general also wants
100000 for other work of the depart
ment, not directly connected with the
living problem, such as enforcement
of war time prohibition, prosecution
of appeals and hiring of special as
sistants.
Asked today if he had any reports
indicating sufficient food he'd In stor-
age to affect prices materially IL re-
lnnp
number of governors had appealed to
him to cut red tape. in forcing on
the market 'amaZing quantities. of
foodstuffs now in storage. In some
cases, it was said, the food has been
held longer than permitted by state
laws, but technicalities regarding in-
terstate commerce had prevented the
governor from undertaking seizure Of
prosecution. Mr.. Palmer ordered all
district attorneys to assist the gov
ernors.
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 attention of the state food admin
istrators, several of whom have asked
If they were authorized to publish the
the facts where 1t appeared that more
food was being held from the public
than the reasonable requirements of
a dealer demanded.
II told them to go right ahead and
to use the names,' Mr.. Palmer an
nounced. II am interested in getting
as much information on this subject
to the ultimate consumer as I 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-
ductions were made to meet compe-
tition by retailers"
Authority asked yesterday by Sec
retary Glass to use the treasury secret
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.
Republican leader Mondell of the
house said today he believed congress
would adopt the presidents suggestion
and amend the food control SO as to
make it apply to other necessities.
This view Is said to reflect the at
titude of the majority in the house, at
least. Mr.. Mondell said there was
some opposition to the attorney GEM
erals request that the treasury secretl
service force be made available for
the job Of breaking up profiteering.