Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-06
M'KELV|E Will
START PROBE OF
COST OF LIVING
Secretary Of Agriculture Will
Present Information to
Attorney General by
August ID.

Lincoln, Aug. Stalking up the
matter of the powers of the Depart
ment of Agriculture under the new
code law to punish profteering,
Governor McKelvie has addressed
communications to Attorney Gen
eral Davis and to Secretary Sthur
of the agricultural department COW
ering the matter of cooperation of
both departments with the execu-
tive branch of the state government.
The governor calls attention to
the section of the law covering in
vestigations and ends with instruc-
tons regarding the matter. The
communication in part follows:
Each department created by this
act shall have power through its
secretary, any deputy or assistant or
employee, when authorized by the
secretary, to make a thorough in
vestigation into all the books, pa
pers and affairs of any person, firm
or corporation when, in the judg-
ment of such department such ex-
animation is necessary to the proper
performance of its duties and the
efficient enforcement of the laws,
within the purview of its power and
authority fixed by this act, in so
doing to administer oaths and at
formations and to examine on oath
or affirmation any person, officer,
agent or clerk of any firm or cor
poration touching the matters
which, in the judgment of such de-
partment, ought to be inquired into
and. to examine and summon and by
attachment compel the attendance
OF any person or persons in this
state to testify under oath before
such department or its secretary or
any deputy or any assistant or en-
ployes thereof in relation thereto.
Powers of Department.
The Department of Agriculture
shall have power:
Il. Io encourage and promote, in
every practicable manner, the inter
ests OF agriculture, including horti-
culture, the live stock industry,
dairying, cheese making, poultry,
Bookkeeping, forestry, fishing, the
production of wool and all other al
lied industries.
Y. To promote methods of con-
Quoting these several industries
with a view to increasing the pro-
ductior and facilitate the distribu
ton thereof at the least cost.
''Ihese provisions give your de-
partment authority to investigate
the costs, processes and means of
distributing food products, and Il
recommend that you at once proceed
to obtain all possible information
bearing upon this subject.
People Urged to Cooperate.
I'm this connection it is of par
ticular importance that the people
of the state provide you with any
definite information which they may
have confirming, or leading to con-
firmation of, the belief that distribu-
tors in food products are exacting
unreasonable charges for their serv-
ices.
1T is my desire that you shall
obtain by Thursday, August IA,
sufficient information to justify
meeting with the attorney general,
in which definite plans may be laid
tor further procedure.
also I recommend that your de-
partment cooperate with the fed
eral government in every possible
way that will aid in the applica-
ton of uniform rules, the carrying
on of Investigations and the execu-
ton of laws having to do with the
distribution of all articles of food.
1T is not our desire to harass or
embarrass those who are engaged
in the rendering of legitimate serv-
ice in connection with the distribu-
ton of food products, but we are
ambitious to ascertain the facts
bearing upon this subject and bring
forth vigorous prosecution of
those who are committing offenses
o $ho -: ~b%c &c