Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-18
PALMERPLAN
is Jail FOR
PROFITEERS'
Prison Terms Instead of
Fines Expected to
Cut Prices.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright, 1919, by Rock Island
ArRuS1

Copyright, 1919, by Rock Island
Argus.)
Washington, Aug. 1S.-Criminal
as well as civil proceedings are to
begun by Attorney General Palmer
to reduce the high cost of living.
An effort will be made to secure
Jail sentences for the men who
have been operating in restraint of
trade and in violation of the Sher-
man antitrust act and profteering
or boarding laws.
Thus far the announcements con-
cerning prosecutions have convey
ed the impression that only civil
proceedings would be instituted
and that the department of justice
would be satisfied with having
stopped unfair trade practices. But
the attorney general means to go
the limit under the criminal pro-
visions of the law and if he can
persuade the federal courts to see
it hfs way some men will not es-
cape with the mere payment of
fines but will be compelled to
serve time.
Drastic Action Necessary.
This drastic policy follows the
American people have been goug-
ed by profiteers who have made
combinations and price agreements
in defiance of existing law. To
impose fines would mean an in
fnitesmal Subtraction of profits
and might not have a sufficiently
deterrent effect. So the attorney
Gneral, presumably at the direc-
= - 10
cided to enter the criminal courts
in an effort to relieve the public of
economic burdens unlawfully i'm
posed.
Just which trusts or association
of producers will be charged with
violations of the Sherman law and
which will be reached under civil
or criminal statutes cannot yet be
announced. But the department of
justice is preparing cases against
dealers, wholesale and retail and
as soon as more authority is OBJ
tanned from congress it will be pos
sfble to proceed not merely against
food dealers but those who handle
wearing apparel.
VIII go After All Trusts.
Although the attorney general
has already indicated that he
would get after the cement trust
and thereby help to relieve the
deadlock in the building situation
throughout the country which af-
fects the cost of living through
high rents. the main campaign will
be directed against dealers in food
and clothing-the two biggest
\ems on the family expense ac-
count.
Already officials here think they
see beneficial results, though, to be
sure, they frankly admit much less
is to be gained through prosecu-
ttons than through the fair-price
committees which are being estab-
lished throughout the country by
state and county food administrat-
ors On these committees are rep
resentatives of labor, of the house
wives, of WHOLESALERS. of retailers.
and the public. They are voluntar
lily committees who will say what
constitutes a fair price in each
community for food and wearing
apparel. Most of the committees
will have the benefit Of the expert
ence gained by similar undertak-
ings when the food administration
had its elaborate organization at
work in every city and town in the
country. The Importance of these
fair price committees lies in the
fact that when prosecutions are
begun, the findings of the aforesaid
committees will be taken into
court as a basis for action. Where
ever state authorities have already /
begun to declare fair prices. as il |
Massachusetts,. Maryland. Okla |