New-York tribune., 1919-08-24
Senate Agriculture Commit
tee Is Unable to Devel-
ope Substitute for His
Method of Food Control
Will Give Him Big Fund
Republican Leaders Say
Court Action Is Only Way
to Solve the Problem
NetO York Tribune
WdshtuUtOu Burenn


WASHINGTON, Aug. 23.-The sub
committee appointed by the Senate
Agricultural Committee to work out
some means of determining fair prices
for foodstuffs and wearing apparel, for
inclusion with Attorney General Pal
mer's amendments in the food control
act, reached the conclusion to-day that
fair price" cannot be accurately de-
fined.
1t will be recommended to the full
committee on Monday that United
States attorneys be given authority to
create fair price committees. Dealers
charging more than the prices set in
the fair price lists prepared by these
committees would be deemed guilty of
protlteering and liable to prosecution.
There is much objection to INSTALL
ing such system" said Senator
Committee, "but it may be the best
would give these committees executive
legislative and judicial authority. I'm
der the Constitution dealers charging
more than the prices fixed must, OF
course, be given a jury trial. Neverthe-
less, the powers to be given these com
mittees would be very broad, and there
is certain to be much opposition in the
Senate"
The plan evolved by the sub-commit.
tee to determine method of fixinp
fair prices is in line with the proposal
of Attorney General Palmer The At.
torney General planned to use this
method, but without giving legal auth
orlty to the fair price committee he
vnd ~
Mr.. Palmer would approve the course
decided upon by the subcommittee, anc
that the legislation would be enacted
in the Senate next week.
Palmer to Get Funds
Prompt compliance with requests
for a lditional money to punish prof
teers was promised to Mr.. Palmer to-
day following the commencement OF
hearings by the House Appropriations
Committee on various requests for
added funds.
The committee qualified this
promise, however, by limiting it's will
ingness to added funds deemed neces-
sary. 1t is expected that the major
portion of the total of more than ST.
000,00' asked by the Attorney General
will be recommended by the committee
early next week in the form of de
IlCitHCy Dill.
Requests from other departments
however, will have hard shedding. Re.
publican members of the committee are
outspoken in their assertion that other
government departments are taking ad-
vantage of the high cost of living tc
file requests for money which were cut
out OF their former estimates in the
various appropriation bills.
Members of the departments in ques.
ton will be given an opportunity tc
appear before the committee to explain
how the extra funds are expected tc
affect the prices Of necessities. The
hrst OF these hearings was held day
The belief of Republican leaders is
that efficient prosecution of hoarders
and profteers is the only immediate
| remedy to be found for the high cost
Of living, and therefore the Attorney
Generals requests will be given prompt
consideration.
Too Late for Production
1t is pointed out that it is now too
late in the year to expect to lower the
cost of living by increasing production
and that unless Congress can draft q
peace-time law embodying the provi.
sons of the wartime food control act
as we'll as make an effort to deiate cur.
rency and promote economy in the use
of foods, the country will have to de-
pend entirely upon Mr.. Palmer and fai1
price committees for any decrease in
the cost of necessities.
Sentiment in Congress, as revealed
in the debate upon putting teeth in the
food control act, generally is that Con.
gress in itself can do little to reduce