Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-08-07
Antitrust Suits Will Be Insti- tuted; Agents on Trial of
 PrOfiteers.
PRESIDENT DECLINES
 TO POSTPONE MESSAGE
Refuses Request of Republican Leader MOndell To Delay Message On II. C. l.. Till Next
 Week.

{ Washington, Aug. 6.--Anti-trust suits against the great meat packing firms were announced today by Attor- ney-General Palmer as the first con- crete development of the govern ments campaign to reduce the high cost of living.
 | Armour, Swift, Morris, Wilson and Cudahy, who have been pictured in the investigations of the federal trade commission and before conoressonal committees as great combination in control of food produces are to be haled again before the federal courts by special prosecutors. 1 The evidence in hand, Attorney General Palmer declared, indicated "a clear violation of the antitrust laws"
 Whether the prosecutions would be civil or criminal, the attorney general declined to state, merely recalling that the law provided for both.
 The history of all the governments antitrust prosecutions in 25 years does not show single individual ever serving jail sentence for violation. There are evidences that the govern ment hopes for some in the present campaign.
 Will Seize Food HOards. While he was announcing prosacu- tions of the packers, Attorney Gen eral Palmer was unleashino his snecial agents on country wide trail of profiteerine and food hoardng. These prosecutions come under the food control law. All United States attorneys were instructed to ferret out food hoards and libel them under ] federal law.
 "This is the most important busi- ness before the country today" an nounced the Attorney general. land ] propose to have the law enforce ment machinery of the government sidetracS everything to this job"
 President Declines tO Delay. 1 President Wilson continued to rive close attention to the food cost prob- lem and declined proposal to post none his address to congress until l Tuesday next week, inetead of this , Friday Renublican Floor Leader Mondell of thu house snerested the postnonement because of absence of memhars from Washinpton. hut the president declined in the following letter to the republican leader: l "I am very sorry indeed. that car,- not comply with your suggestion of delay in the matter of my address to 9 joint session of congress. The situa- tion which impelled me last week to ask congress to postpone it's rNcess until mv recommendations could b. submitted is still acute. I have had under very serious consideration thu proper action of the government with reference to the hioh cost of living, and I feel that it is my duty at the earliest possible moment to present certain recommendations no wready for submission tn congress. l "I have, therefore. asked the vice. nresidert and the speaker to arrance if possible. for a joint session for Friday afternoon next e+ o'clock. l Presidents Plans. | There was no intimation from the white house as to the nature of the recommendation the president would make in addressing congress. In the view of several officials. the president probably will deal with these subjects: l Enlargement of the provisions of the Lever food control law, to make 1 it operative after the proclamation of peace, and applicable to shoes, clothing and all life necessaries in addition to food.
 Leeislation to reach the small or individual profiteer as well as "big business" extortion.
 Laws to make speculation in neces- saries crime.
 , Lneislation limiting the margin of profit on necessities.
 ] Another major development of the ldav was the publication of the fed eral trade commissions report on the shoe industry investigation. This re- port charged that the high price of shoes resulted from excessive prof it's taken by every factor in the trade. The packers, tanners. manu- lecturers and retailers all share in the hlame.
 "Hoarder Bic Part of Game" | The h0arder "is the big part of the game right now" in the opinion of government officials in charge of the efforts to bring down prices and Att It0rnev- General Palmer indicated to- day that he was depending largely on the section of the Lever act dealing with hoarding, as one of the most immediate means of forcing prices down. Sss
 The attorney-general pointed out that all wartime laws goveFntnG pEo 1