Arizona republican., 1919-08-07

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-Anti-trust suits against the great meat packing firms were announced today by At torney General Palmer as the first concrete 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 investigation of the federal trade com mission and before congressional com mittees as a great combination in con- trol of food products, are to be haled again before the federal courts by special prosecutors.
 The evidence in hand. Attorney Cen eral 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.
 No Jail Sentences
 The history of all the government S thrust prosecutions in 25 years does not show a single individual ever serving a jail sentence for a violation. There are evidences that the govern ment hopes for some in the present campaign.
 While he was announcing prosecu- tions of the packers, Attorney General Palmer was unleashing his special agents on the country wide trail of profiteering and boarding.
 All United States attorneys were in structed to ferret out food hoarders | and libel them under federal law.
 This is the most important business before the country today" announced the attorney general. and I propose to have the law enforcement mAchin- cry of the government sidetrack ev- erything to this job"
 Declines to Postpone Address | President Wilson continued to give close attention to the food cost prob lem and decline a proposal to postpone his address to congress until Tuesday next week instead of this Friday. Re. | publican floor leader Mondell of the house suggested the postponement be cause of absence of members iron Washington. but the president declined in the following letter to the republi can leader:
 q am very sorry indeed that I can not comply with your suggestion o delay in the matter of my address t a joint session of congress. The situa ton which compelled me last week t 1 ask congress to postpone it's recess un | til my recommendations could be sub I mitted is still acute. I have had unde very serious consideration the prope action of the government with refer ence to the high cost of living and feel that it is my duty sat the earlies possible moment to present certail recommendations now ready for sub mission to congress.
 Seeks Joint Session
 q have, therefore. asked the vice president and the speaker to arrang ! if possible, for joint session for Fri day afternoon next at o'clock"
 There was no intimation from tn white house as to the nature of tn recommendations the president woult make in addressing congress. Fron | the trend of the governments activi | ties in an attempt to solve the livinl cost problem, however, in the view O several officials. the president prob ably would deal with these subjects Enlargement of the provisions of tn Lever food control law, to make it op erative after the proclamation of peac and applicable to shoes. clothing an all life necessaries in addition to fooC
 Legislation to reach the small or in dividual profiteer as well as "big busi ness" extortion.
 Legislation to define profiteerin. thereby making easier prosecution un der existing laws.
 |. Laws to make speculation in neces saries a crime.
 : Legislation limiting the margin ( profit on necessities
 Report Shoe Trade Report Another major development of th ; day was the making public of the fed ) eral trade commissions report on tt shoe industry investigation This re $ port charged that the high price shoes resulted from excessive profit