The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-25
PALMER S UNWIsE oUTGIVING.

PALMER S UNWISE OUTGIV1NG.
| Attorney General Palmer seems to violate
! the legal prohibition against trying eases out
of court in advance of their coming before
court in his announcement that he has case
against the packers which will astonish and en-
rage the public and secure conviction. Ii he
has such case, it is sufficient fulfllment of his
functions to present it, and his bounden duty
to present it as forcefully as he can. The guilt
of the packers, if established, will be one step
toward clearing the muddle of high living costs.
But it is manifestly not one of the functions OF
the attorney general of the nation to issue a
statement amounting to government threat OF
punishment and government pronouncement OF
guilt against men who have not been convicted
by due process of law. Had Mr.. Palmer con
tented himself by declaring his ability to prove
practices contrary to law and the bearing OF
this proof on the costs situation he would have
avoided the ground for just criticism that ne
has given Government officials have become
all too prone to be confidential about futures
while strangely reticent about happenings OF
the past in which the public is greatly and just
ly Interested
This is an era when everything goes. Hosts
of people are spending every dollar they can
lay their hands on. The price of diamonds has
gone up to one thousand dollars carat, for the
better stones, responsive to an extraordinarily
increased demand. People hardly ask the price
of iewelry nowadays, if it pleases TIM; and
prominent shoe manufacturer tells Chairman
Esch. of the house commerce committee, that ne
put on the market womants slX-dollar snoe
of excellent quality. But it would not sell and
had to be withdrawn, for women turned from IL
disdainfullv to buy twelve-dollar shoes. Peo-
ME who are not prudent in their own expendl
lures are naturally little concerned at govern
waste.
Speaking in San Francisco, the president
iustifed the cession of Shantung to Japan and
asserted that this is the first time IN history
that ANYTHING has been done for China. But
not now to discuss that phase OF 1t, on what
theory then did the president oppose the Jap
anese grab until the delegates from NIPPON IN
their poised and quiet manner so dlplomatically
Inerfect. remarked that the conference had no
further interest for them and began to pack
their trunks Their withdrawal meant, as every
,bodxr knew. the failure of the league which
would have died stillborn; and the president
immediately saw the matter from the japanese
angle Of view.
r. ia Suggested that the president OF the
limited States be made ex-offlcio member OF
the American Federation of Labor whether
the proposition will appeal to Mr. Wilson ana
how Mr.. Gompers will regard it remains to De
seen. But inasmuch as the president Is dls,
posed to act, as far as opportunity Is afforded
him, as an umpire in industrial disputes ne
probably would do better to avoid entangilng
affiliations.
No considerable number of individuals or
corporation officials are likely to foiioW the
orros+ed and compelled to serve two years IN
prison. The fact that the new legislation pro
v iiso penalty Of five thousand dollars fine for
each ofense will doubtless have an influence
but there is certainly much greater one N the
fear of going to jail
"Why not include the Boy Scouts IN 7 the resu-
lar armvY,' inquiries an admirer OF both organ.
izations. Simply because it would be case OF
too much infantry.
Again Mr.. Burleson says that he Will not re-