The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-02
Lefingweu,. az the secretary Of the

Lofnngweu,s As the secretary OF the
treasury. : ss~ y
Acknowledgement Palmer, met today
and received one suggestion from Mr..
LeningwsaIf He recommended the
creation OF d free market for wheat.
This plan is likewise favored. the at
torney-general said, by Edward N.
Hurley. former chairman of the ship
ping board. Mr.. Palmer said consid-
Grafton Of Mr.. Lef1nEweirs suggestion
did not necessarily mean that a SINH
lar recommendation would be made
to the president in a report sent him
Monday.
The cost of living occupied the
greater part of the presidents time
today. His letter to the senate and
house committee chairmen asking for
the special railroad board" was sent
after a conference with Mr.. Hines.
The president, however. has Teen Mr..
Hines many times during the last
ten days.
n resolution in the senate by
Senators McKellar and Kirby were in
troduced in the course of a general
debate on the subject of the cost of
living. The debate was started by
Senator Myers. who called up for
further consideration his resolution
directing against the imitation of the
currency. 1t was asserted by the
Senator that an immediate cause for
the increase in the cost of living was
found in the fact that during the war
the amount Of money IN circulation
was practically doubled?
Look for Facts.
Senator McKelIar's resolution ask
Ing for the appointment of a hi-par-
item SaVafnrfa1 pnp,rrtttaa rrac NV.
planned by that senator to be for the
purpose of determining facts upon
which TO base legislation. Discussing
the resolution the senator said:
Present high prices are appalling.
Generally they are higher than during
the war, despite bumper crops last
year and this. During the war we
were compelled to regulate prices by
law and while the purpose of the law
was to hold down prices, apparently
they constantly rose. Those who were
permitted to regulate prices under
government control seemed to have
learned their lesson. well and continue
to regulate them upward Just as we'll
since the war as before.
ut is commonly believed and with
good reason, that prohteering is just
as rampant in the country now as
during the war. and even more so.
Everywhere combinations are alleged
to exist. All these matters should be
examined into by this committee"
Senator Mcclellan enumerated the
particular questions which he thought
the committee should investigate. as
follows.
l. The supply of all n~ecessaries.
z. IL there are monopolies .Jr com
binations controlling the supply and
distribution of necessities.
3. To what extent does the demand
exceed the supply.
4. Whether the greatest and most
beneficial of modern discoveries-the
cold storage--is being used as a means
of profiteering.
3. What combinations or concerns
are guilty of profteering and what
are their methods.
6. To what extent boarding of food
stufs, especially. is being INDUCED In
for the purpose of affecting prices.
I. Whether foodstuffs or necessaries
are being destroyed for the purpose
of influencing prices.
3. Whether the prices made by
producers are in general accord or
out of general accord with the profits
made by middlenen or manufacturers
or sellers to the consuming public,