The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-08-14
STARTS MACHINERY
TO REDUCE PRICES
ATTORNEY GEN. WIRES STATE
FOOD ADMINISTRATION
To Serve assuring War
Committee To Be Named in Each
County to Arrange Fair
Price List.


General Palmer started out today to
ascertain how much of the high cost
of living is due to excessive profits by
retailers.
In a telegram to all State food ad-
ministrators who worked with Ad-
ministrator Hoover during the war,
the Attorney General requested the
appointment of a fair price commit
tee in 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 "extra Legal means of
reaching profteering 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 man
guilty of extortion in prices. Retail
ers who are gouging the ultimate con-
sumner will have to be disciplined by
public sentiment which officials have
no doubt is sufficiently alert to the
situation now to &C. vigorously in
clear-cut cases. Hoarders, on the
other hand can be reached through
the war time food laws or the Sher-
man act, and Mr.. Palmer requested
the State food administrators to
transmit to him any evidence OF
boarding or other violations of the
law which they might encounter in
their work, with the promise that the
governments law enforcement ma
chinery would act promptly.
Without Compensation
"There is pressing necessity for the
| restoration of normal conditions, "
MIR. Palmer's telegram said, request
ing the men who did such effective
work during the war to take up the
burden again. They we're 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
! triotic citizen would refuse the call of
duty. Attorney Generals telegram
| follows:
-"In order to secure acurate infor-
nation relative to charges of prof.
| teering by dealers in necessary COM
modities it is the desire Of the gov
, ernment to ascertain whether or not
such dealers are making more than
| fair margin of profit. Will you as
sist in your State by requesting those
persons who have been county food
administrators under your jurisdic-
tion to appoint fair price committees,
| including one retailer of groceries,
one of dry goods, a representative OF
the producers, of organized labor, OF
housewives, two or three representa-
tives of the public generally, also a
wholesaler when practicable.
Same Inquiries.
"Please request them to pursue,
approximately the same inquiries
with reference to food products and
| the ordinary necessities in dry goods
| and clothing that we're pursued by
your fair price committees under the
| food administration act. This COM
mittee will be an extra legal body
| without power to summon witnesses
or fix prices. It is requested, how
ever. to ascertain the cost prices, de-
termine fair margin of profit and If
| the retail prices are in excess of what
| the committee regards fair price, to
have publihsed a list of fair prices,
reporting to you for review. You
are requested to report to the Depart
ment of Justice a general review of
| the situation in your State.
Submit 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 to United States attorney, who
will be instructed to employ all his
resources, as we'll as those of, the bu-
| reau of investigation, to cooperate
| with you and your committees IN
seeking out and Furnishing all Violat-
ors of the law.
There is pressing necessity Tor
| the restoration of normal conditions
| ond # is believed that through the