The daily banner., 1919-08-13
FEDERAL ATTACKS
CUT FOOD COST
Government Compelled to Re-
:,
/ adjust List.
HEAVY BOARDING PENALTIES
Bill in Congress Makes Profiteerino
Punishable by Fine of $4,000 or
Five Years Imprisonment.

Bill in Congress Makes Profiteering
Punishable by Fine of $4,000 or
Five Years Imprisonment.
Washington, Aug. 13.-Problems OF
the high cost Of living continued to
absorb the chief attention of con-
gress and government authorities.
While congress went ahead with
consideration of various bills and
suggestions for legislative relief, At
torney General Palmer continued ne
gotiations with representatives OF his
department and state, city and coun-
ty agents throughout the country for
cooperation to bring about lower
prices for the necessities Of life.
Retail food merchants are beginning
to feel the effects of the distribution
Of surplus foodstuffs by the war do
partment, it was indicated when the
department announced officially that
prices on certain foods were being re-
adjusted 'to make them accord with
reductions which have occurred (since
August 81 in the retail market on
similar commodities of like grade"
The announcement added:
ssThe war department will continue
from time to time to change prices
fixed on it's surplus foodstuffs, and as
they are made the lower quotations
will be communicated promptly to the
surplus property officers detailed for
duty at the thirteen zone supply of1-
ces, and those offices will. be instruct
ed to. change their quotations to muni-
cipalities and municipal selling agen-
cies. This information will also be
communicated through the postof1ce
department to postmasters through
out the country, and orders booked
by the postmasters with the Inaugural
ton of sales Of foodstuff through the
parcel post will be taken at the re-
vised figures.
"It will be the policy of the war
department to fix prices on all sur
plus subsistence commodities which
will be lower than the prices at which
similar commodities of like grade are
selling in the retail market"
Hoarding, selling at unreasonable
profits, creating monopolies and re-
stricting the supply of food, fuel, feed
or wearing apparel would be punish
ed by fine of $4,000 or five years
Imprisonment under bill introduced
by Representative Gard, Democrat,
of Ohio.
The bill also would regulate and
control shipments in interstate COM
merce and give congress control of
sales of necessaries in the District of
Columbia, territories and possessions.
Legitimate. transactions on grain
exchanges and accumulations by farm
ers or gardeners, including livestock
farmers, would not be returned under
the measure as instances Of hoard
ing.
Organized opposition of the pack
ing interests to any comprehensive
cold storage regulation law was pre-
dicted by Senator MeKellar,7 Demo
crat, of Tennessee, before the house
agricultural committee. He urged the
framing and adoption of stringent
legislation which would cover the
period Of storage and be such char
acter that it could not be evaded.
Senator Mcclellan asserted "the
five great packers" virtually had a
monopoly on cold storage, adding that
they had disregarded entirely the law
Of supply and demand. Because of
the monopoly, he said, "five concerns
have control over the public and can
hold or sell as they please" adding
that millions of pounds of poultry
and meat had been allowed to spoil
because the large interests refused
TO sell at existing prices"