Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-06
ORDERS GIVEN
TO PROSECUTE
FOOD H0ARDERS
Attorney General Makes Move
in Fight on High Prices
Wheat to Remain at
$2.26 a BusheI.


general said, have been ordered to
institute special Investigations to
find evidence of boarding and prot
iteering as prohibited under the
Lever food control act, and prosecu-
tons will be instituted without delay.
Attorney General Palmer de-
clined to disclose what remedial
laws he would suggest to the presi-
dent, or go into detail as how the
department would proceed under
the existing laws beyond saying
that operating under the Lever act
did not mean the functions of the
food administration would be as
sumed by the department of JUS
tice.
Doubt was expressed by some
legal authorities as to whether a
penalty is provided for profiteering
by the food control act, although
penalties are provided ranging from
$4,000 to $4,000 or from two to four
years or both for boarding and
other violations. Attorney General
Palmer said it was his belief and
hope that immediate results toward
reducing the cost of living could be
obtained through prosecutions I'M
der existing laws.
No Statement from Wilson.
Secretary Tumulty said after Di-
rector Barnes had left the president,
that no statement would be forth
coming from the White House to-
night beyond the mere announce
ment that the president will ad-
dress message to congress as soon
as he has time to write it"
Director Barnes in making public
his statement regarding the world
wheat situation said that the wheat
crop in the United States is not
short and that 1,000,000,00O bushels
was assured. There was no war
rant, he said, however, for state
ments that the price had been in
tlated. He announced definitely
that as far as he could see there
was no hope for reduction in the
near future, and that he would not
sell wheat at a price below the guar
antee.
Figures were given by Mr.. Barnes
on the world price as follows:
Average farm price to American
farmer under guarantee, SOS a
bushel.
Average farm price in the United
Kingdom during the last calendar
year, $2.28.
Average farm price for four big
producing countries, United States,
Canada. Argentina and Australia,
producing l,50O,0O0,00O bushels,
$1.94.
Average grower price Qarge guar
anteed) of Europe's fifteen consum-
ing countries, producing 800,000,000
bushels, $375.
Average Record of S246.
Average of all wheat growers,
weighted according to the size of
their contribution to the total crop
of the world, works out an average
world grower price of $246.
Argentina wheat, with longer voy-
age and higher freight rates, the
Barnes statement said, cots deliv-
cred in Europe fully 50 cents more
than American wheat delivered in
Europe.
There is no support for the the
DRY of intimate relation and influ-
ence between wheat price and other
foods" the statement said. Figures
were presented to bear out Mr..
Barnes contention.
Britain, France and Italy," the
statement continued, "all have arti-
ficially reduced flour and bread
prices, buying their raw material at
the worlds price and absorbing the
loss by national taxes. Any sale of
wheat or flour by US at reduced
prices to them would only save their
national treasures, while depicting