Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-18
PALMER PLAN
is ''JAIL FOR
PROFITEERS''
Continued from Page one)

CONTINUED from Page One)
homa, Michigan and elsewhere, the
federal authorities will endeavor to
bring about harmonious coopera-
ton with the state agencies.
Congress- Action Needed.
Until congress acts the plans Of
the department of justice are some
what in allegiance. Curiously
enough there is no penalty on the
statute books today against prof.
teering in food. During the war
the penalty was withdrawal of Ii
censes and there was a penalty
against doing business in foods
without a license. But the license
system passed out Of existence with
the rehabilitation of the food ad-
ministration and it is regarded as
too laborious and needless a task
to reconstruct the license system
when a simple amendment by con-
gress will provide the penalties
needed to throw a few fears into
the hearts of would be proflteers.
tension of the powers of the food
control act to cover wearing ap-
parel. These two simple amend
ments are before the senate and
house committees on agriculture,
bat naturally there is opposition.
1t is difficult to say whence pro-
ceeds the opposition. but in some
cases it is based on a misunder-
standing of the functions of the de-
partment of justice. For instance
some members of congress have
had the idea that the department
would fix prices. In truth the fair
price committees made up of the
peoples representative would say
what constitute fair prices and then
prosecutions would follow only
against persons who varied the
prices to such an extent as to make
it obvious that there was prof
teering.
IL Cents Enough for Sugar.
In the case OF sugar, a remnant
of the food administration exists in
what is known as the sugar equal
ization committee so inasmuch as
the price of sugar is fixed to the
wholesaler, the federal authorities
say there is no excuse for retailers
charging more than II cents a
pound. Indeed, since the agitation
began, not only has there been a
conviction against a grocer selling
sugar at Is cents a pound but
wholesale grocers themselves have
voluntarily reduced their price to
10 cents and below, which accounts
for the retail price of IL cents.
If uniformity Of price has been
obtained in the case Of sugar by
establishing what is called fair
price to the wholesaler and by pub
licity of the same, officials believe
the same can be done in other food
stuffs.
Can Get Hoarders.
Provisions Of the boarding act
are bringing relief, too. The gov
eminent has the power under exist
ing law to seize boarded goods
Some requests have come to the
of justice to permit the
sale Of boarded goods pending trials
in the courts. The department has
consented as its fundamental OBJ
ject is to get the foodstuffs into
and distribution.
Prosecution is vital as a deter
rent cooperation between the public
and the government is going to re-
duce the cost Of living. Action by
the fair price committees in state.
county and city is expected
throughout the country within a
month on many commodities.
VIII Give Fair Prices.
Full publicity will be given to
what is decreed as fair prices. And
the government will prosecute deal
ers, Wholesale and retail, who do
not observe the prices set up by
the people themselves. That, in a
nutshell, summarizes what is now
and is likely to happen |
soon in the nationwide campaign |
to make America safe for the homo |
budget