The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-12-19
PALMER SPEAKS At
H. C.CONFE RENCE
Root Out the Pr0fiteer, the Att0r-
ney General Says.
PUBLIC sc0RN GREAT WEAPON
Addresses Delegates From All Parts
Of illinois at Chicago Meeting
Urges Punishment of Men Re-
sponsihie for Conditions.

Chicago, Dec. 17.--Attorney Gener-
al A. Mitchell Palmer arrived in Chi
cag0 heralding battle against the
high cost of living and the profiteers
that are behind 1t.
'RoOt out the profiteer-expOse him
10 public scorn," was the keynote or
bis message, which he delivered be-
fore. a gathering of mayors of Illinois
towns and cities, club women, officials
Of retail dealers associations. district
attorneys and state officials. Cover
nor L0wden presided ut the meeting
Palmer'S message given to report
ers, was:
eve will enforce the existing food
laws TO the strictest letter. In anticf-
patton of the enactment of legislation
that would enable the department to
deal more effectively with profiteer-
ing and other causes of the high cost
of living, the fair price committee
idea has been put in operation.
Through these and through gener-
al public cooperation we hope to get
at the root of the problem and l as
sure that every corrective measure
within. the power of the United States
attorneys office will be exerted, TO
remedy present conditions.
Prices Bound to Go Down.
He asserted that prices had not adj
Vanced recently but had maintained
a nearly stable figure. This. he point
ed out, was on indication that activ-
tiles directed against profiteernge al
ready were having effect.
eff we can keep prices stationary
for time they are bound 10 go down."
he said. "If we can stop the move
ment of this vicious circle-increased
wages, increased prices and increased
production. chasing each other,
around like dog chooses its tail-and
hold the line steady. prices viii drop
lust as sure as a gun is iron.
Mr.. Palmer was hurried from the
depot to the waiting gathering, where
he was given an enthusiastic recep-
ton.
In his opening remarks he de-
nOunced the prOfiteer and laid the
blame for high prices TO three causes
the wars taking out of the ranks
of Industry millions of producers,
the increased credit currency of the
world and the passing OH of govern
ment taxation.
"Relief is in sight however" he
said. "Some relief has come even in
the retail trade. Take food products.
Cattle and hogs in the hands of the
original producer in the West have
gone down so far that the cattle and
hog men have been TO Washington pro-
testing vigorously against this cam
paign. which they say is going to rob
them of their profits.
"rhat has so far been reflected in
the wholesale price of meats, for you
can observe from the market quota
tons from day TO day that bacon and
other pork products. as well as meats.
as far as the wholesale prices are
concerned, have fallen off in some In
stances something like 20 or 20 per
cent. To some slight extent that has
also been reflected in the retail dis.
tribution. hut not nearly SO much.
But the stream flows down hill,
not I'D. and once it is started on
steady flow the result will finally be
appreciated, because it can plainly be
seen upon the table of the. American
people.
All Left>to Jury.
"Under the law. if a retailer sells
at an unjust or unreasonable rate of
profit he may be punished, but jury
must say that he has done so. Our
theory is that if we put into the hands
of Jury of u men of the commun-
ity the same evidence that convinced
vOur fair price committee that a GER
tain price was just and reasonable.
that Jury will do just what your fair
price committee did. and the result of
If will be that the profiteer will find
himself a criminal. so that the fair
price committee. in cooperation with
the prosecuting attorney. may thus he
the engine behind the enforcement OF
this law in a way that will terrify. in
nv Judgment. the profiteer in every
community.
81 am strong believer in the GRIM
inal law in connection with these mat
ters. I have great confidence that the
fear of punishment is the .greatest de-
terrent in the mind Of any dealer who
starts out to gouge the people in any
line"
Women took a prominent part in
the conference.