The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-08-06
DevoteS Entire Time to Work
on Measures to Check
the High Cost of
Living.
RELENTLESS DRIVE AT
PR0FlTEER
Apparent That President and
Advisers Mean Business.
Lever Law Is
Invoked.
nv IOIN EnMyJN NEWT

Washington, Aug. 6.-Pres
dent Wilson will address Joint
session of congress Friday, ac-
cording to his present plans, it
was unofficially stated at the
White House this afternoon.
At that time he will make pub
lie his plans for legislation de-
signed to reduce the high cost Of
living.
The president spent most of today
secluded in his study in the White
House examining various suggestions
prepared by cabinet members to meet
the existing alarming conditions. 7
Is known that there is n wide diver
gence of views In the presidents o.
fetal family regarding measures TO
taken, and that his task Of reconcile"
them Is none too easy
Nothing Radical Expected.
Officials did not expect that z
president would make any rad'c
suggestions to congress. The pow.i
to punish proflteering already ext
The department of justice has in
tiated movements to this end in va
rious localities and IL Is expected tha'
Atty, Gen. Palmer will ask IT,
president to suggest to congress tie
putting Of teeth into some sections OF
the law to aid prosecutions.
One proposal that was before tho
president today was to widen the
scope of the Lever law and create n
department TO be known as the cost
division" which would prepare sta
tisties concerning costs of the neces-
stiles of lifo and make public price
lists giving what would be a fair
cost Advocates OF this plan de-
clared that, worked out to a complete
conclusion, it would prove an abso-
lutte check on protltCcrs, as ii would
furnish the public with their prices
could determine to insist on the mer-
chants to accept the government
figures.
Administration officials said this
afternoon that as the result of the
activities there already
has been a noticeable drop in the
prices of many commodities. Other
reductions are certain in the imme-
diate future, they declared. But tn
to date were character
lied as a mere drop in the bucket,
and 1t was officially declared tha'
they would not influence the presi-
dent in his plans to secure the per
manent reduction in prices throusl.
essential legislation.
In the meanwhile, the drive upon
The profteer was to be waged un-
under the laws that now
,Xist, and -four was TO be put on the
market at SO a barrel-sl less than
Ha
Medium of the United States grain
The announcement Of Atty Gen.
Palmer that the Lever wartime food
control act was being invoked to
,ring to justice those who have been
Gaping extortionate profits from the
consuming public was expected to
laVe a marked effect Already there
vas evidence that the governments
was being felt. and that
here would be a break for cover by
hose whom the law would reach was
expected.
There was no indication today as
o the additional laws the president
will request. They are to be based
irectly upon the data which has
cen submitted to him by Atty. Gen.
PALMER, as chairman of the special
abinet committee investigating the
Ugh cost of living, its causes and
s probable remedies
Although it was anticipated that,
ow it is apparent that President
wilson and his advisers mean bust
ess. there might be a noticeable re-
uction in prices all along the line.
was stated emphatically in official
ircles today that this would have
o effect upon the program. Any at
'mpt to "call off the dogs by throw
lg them meat" officials said. would
E met, If anything, with redoubled
stlon TO bring about permanent
rnefits