Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-07
Hoarders of Foodstuffs Are
Now Regarded As Greatest
Offenders, According To
Statements of Officials.
NO OFFENDER EVER
HAS GONE TO PRISON
Difficulties of Furnishing BY
Criminal Law Men Guilty OF
ArtificiaIIy Boosting Prices is
Fully Recognized.
Gav MORNING JovsNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrRai


Washington, Aug. 6.-Anu trust
suits against the great meat packing
firms were announced today by At
torney General Palmer as the tlrst
concrete development of the govern
ment's campaign to reduce the hlgh
cost OF living
Armour, Swift, Morris. Wilson and
Cudahy, who have been pictured IN
the investigation of the federal trade
commission and before congressional
committees as a great combination IN
control of food products. are TO pc
hailed again before the federal courts
by special prosecutors.
The evidence in hand, Attorney
General Palmer declared, indicated "a
clear violation of the antitrust laws.
Whether the prosecutions would pc
civil or criminal the attorney general
declined to state. merely recalling
that the law provided for both.
Soac ExSt yent 20 4Gn
The history of all the governments
antitrust prosecutions in twenty-five
years does not show single indi-
vidual ever serving a jail sentence for
q violation. There are evidences that
the government 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 q countrywide trail or
profiteering and food boarding. These
prosecutions come under the food con-
troll law.
All United States attorneys were in
structed to ferret out food hoarders
and libel them under federal law.
This is the most important busi-
hn tn6aV'
nounced the attorney general, "and /
propose to have the law enforcement
machinery of the government side
track everything to this job
President Is Watching.
President Wilson continued to give
close attention to the food cost prob
lem and declined proposal to post
pone his address to congress until
Tuesday next week instead of this
Friday, republican Floor Leader Mon
dell of the house suggested the post
nonement because of absence of men,
bers from Washington, but the presi-
dent declined in the following letter
to the republican leader:
Il am very sorry thatI cannot COM
ply with your suggestion of delay in
the matter of my address to joint
session of congress. The situation
WllCn COnlp6lleu NE last WEEK W doh
congress to postpone its recess until
my recommendations could be submit
ted is still acute. l have had under
very serious consideration the proper
action of the government with refer
ence to the high cost of living, and l
feel that it is my duty at the earliest
possible moment to present certain
recommendation now ready for sub
mission to congress
II have, therefore, asked the vice
president and the speaker to arrange,
if possible, for joint session for Fri
day afternoon next at o'clock.
There was no iHtimation from the
White House as to the nature of the
recommendation the president would
make in addressing congress. From
the trend of the governments activi-
ties in an attempt to solve the living
cost problem, however, in the view of
several officials, the president prob
ably would deal with these subjects:
Subjects to Be Touched Upon.
Enlargement Of the provisions of
the Lever food control law. to make
it operative after the proclamation OF
peace and applicable to shoes, cloth
ing and all life necessaries in addition
to food
Legislation to reach the small or in