The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-13
Attorney General Palmer Starts !
A Searching Investi-
cation
PROBE BEING MADE
IN ALL STATES
Food Administration Asked to
Organize Fair Price Commit
tees in Each Sounty

tees in Each Sounty
Washington, Aug. 11.-Attorney
General Palmer started out today to
ascertain how much Of the high cost
Of living is due to excessive profits
by retailers.
In telegram to all state food ao
ministrators who worked with Admin
istrator Hoover during the war, the
Attorney General requested the ap-
pointment Of fair price committee
ia each county to investigate what is
being charged for retail necessities
and If in excess Of what the commit
tee considers just, to publish a>list Of
fair prices for the guidance Of the
public.
This is the "etra legal means Of
reaching prof1teering which Mr.. Pal
mer recently indicated was under con-
sideration. He has frankly admitted
from the start that there was no means
to prosecute directly a man guilty Of
extortion in prices. Retailers who are
gouging the ultimate consumer will
have to be disciplined by public senti-
ment, which officials have no doubt
is sufficiently alert to the situation
now to act vigorously in clearcut cases.
Hearders, on the other hand, can be
reached through the war time food
laws Of the Sherman act, and Mr..
Palmer requested the state food ad-
ministrators to transmit to him any
evidence OF boarding or other viola
ton Of the. law which they might en-
counter in their work. with the prom
ise that the governments law enforce
ment machinery would act promptly
y Necessity Now Pressing:
There is a pressing necessity for
the restoration Of normal conditions. .
MI. Paimer's telegram stated. request
ing the men who did such effective
work during the war to take up the
burden again. They were asked to
serve without compensation, the at,
torney general believing that the pub
lie service to be performed now is as
important as when the country was
engaged in hostilities and that no pa
trtotic citizen would refuse the call
to duty. Attorney General Palmer's
telegram follows:
S..In order to secure accurate in
formation relative to charges Of prof
iteering by dealers in necessary COM
noditiea, it is the desire Of the gov
errment to ascertain whether or no
s,ich dealers are making more than
4 fair margin fprofit. Will you as
sist in your state by requesting those
r.:rsons who have been county fooc
administrators under your jurisdiction
TO appoint fair price committees, IN
cluding one retailer of groceries, one
OF dry goods, representative Of the
producers, Of organized labor. of
housewives, two or three representa-
tives Of the public generally, also q
WHOLESALERS when practicable and
request them to pursue approximately
the same Inquiries with reference to
food products and the ordinary ne
eessities in dry goods and clothing
that were pursued by your fair price
committees under the food admins
tration act. This committee will be
an extra legal body without power to
summon witnesses or fix prices. 1t is
requested, however. to ascertain the
ccst prices, determine fair margin
Of profit and if retail prices are in ex-
cess of what the committee regards a
fair price to have published its list
Of fair prices reporting to you for
review. You are requested to report
to the department Of justice general
review Of the situation in your state
Seach for Evidence.
"Any evidence Of boarding or other
violations of the food control act which
may be developed in the work Of such
committees should be turned over :
the United States attorney, who will
be instructed as those Of the bureau Of
investigation to cooperate with you
and your committees IN seeking out
and Furnishing all violators of the law.
There is pressing necessity for
the restoration of normal conditions
and it is believed that through the
same organization which you had as
federal food administrator you and
your administrators, together with
their appointees, can render a valu-
able service to the country at this
time, and your cooperation and theirs,
without compensation, will be greatly
appreciated. The widest publicity Of
this movement and the results obtain
ed by the county committees, it is be-
Iieyed, will be an important factor in
its success. Please wire whether the
government can count upon your ac-
tive cooperation"
Washington. Aug. 11.-Lewis Haney
a representative of the Southern