Arizona republican., 1919-12-23
HASTEN DOWNWARD SWEEP IN PRICES BY INCREASED.
 PRODUCTION HE INSISTS
Attorney General in Public Appeal, Asks People to Eliminate All Extravaganza
 in Buying; Hunt Down Profiteers and Aid National Agencies

of living has been largely in the hands of the department of justice. It should be helpful to point out what has all ready been accomplished and what further steps are in contemplation. To assess the situation it is necessary to look back and ascertain what the trend of prices has been in past years.
 Statistics Conclusive.
 Taking retail food prices as basis. the index numbers of the United States bureau of labor statistics from 1911 to 1919 indicate that up to 1919 there has been a noticeable trend upward in such prices in the fall of the year. whereas since August this year such retail prices have been kept practi- cally stationary. By way of illustra tion. during the period August to No vember, inclusive, 1916, there was an advance in retail food prices as indi cated by the bureau of labor statistics of 13 points. in 1917 IS points and in 1918 16 points. as compared with no increase whatsoever in the correspond ing period of 1929.
 Considering the four years from 1911 to 1914, inclusive, retail prices show a slight upward trend from Sep tember 1 to October l, a greater up ward trend from October. to Novem- Der 1, and remained practically sta tionary from November 1 to December l. During the four years from 1915 to 1918. inclusive. food retail prices showed a decided lessened but decided upward trend to November 1 and to December l.
 This year, during September anI October, an actual reduction in the general level of retail prices was ef- fected as compared with August, while the figure for November, althouga slightly above that of October, shows no increase above the August returns
 In nf hnr rr-A fko f1fff ff<as1 d. aI. clearly show the significant fact that the cost of living as indicated by re- tail prices was no greater in Novem- Der of this year than it was in August. while during former years, extending bac kto 1911. the returns for Novem- Der show a considerable increase over the August returns.
 Yearly Decline.
 ''The history of retail food prices indicates that a decided downward trend may be expected in the part Of the year between January and Marc1 l, and it is to be hoped that this trend will be accelerated this year by the campaign initiated by the government which is just now getting we'll under way.
 The Lever food control act under which the food administration operz sted. and through the enforcement of. which the department of justice Is now trying to reduce high prices. un- fortunately did not provide a penalty for certain acts declared to be unlaw- ful, and therefore the department of justice was unable to effectively deal with many cases of profiteering which came to its attention. Realizing the gravity of this situation, the president appeared before the congress on August s, and urged an immediate amendment of the food control act to extend ifs tn all the feey of life, and to provide a penalty for violation of section four of this act which made profiteering unlawful and to extend the life of the act into peace time.
 ''The attorney general appeared be- fore the senate agricultural commit tee in August and urged that amend ments asked by the president bg passed. Not until October 22, however. did these amendments become a law, and only since that time has it been possible to deal effectively with all