The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-08-15
TO RUN DOWN
ALL H0ARDERS
Presidents Program to Re-
duCe Cost of Living Said to
Include Limit on Profits.
USE EXTRA LEGAL MEANS.
Republican House Leader Mondell
Told Situation Is Acute and Speed
Necessary-District Attorneys
to Prosecute Profiteers.

Washington.-With President Will
son in direct personal charge. all gov
eminent agencies moved forward with
the initial steps in the sweeping pro-
gram to reduce the cost of living.
These were the developments:
The department of justice instruct
ed United States attorneys all over
the country to start a crusade against
those guilty of boarding food in viola
ton of the food control act and to
make instant arrests Stale and munic-
ilal authorities are to cooperate.
A. Mitchell Palmer, attorney gen.
eral, decided to bring antitrust suits
against the big Five" packers on
charges of a conspiracy in the meat
industry.
The federal trade commission made
public the report of an investigation
of the leather industry, revealing that
there have been gross excessive prof
its in hides, shoes and leather. Rene
dies are urged.
One of the chief features of Presi-
dent Wilson's program is the extern
sion of the food control act, which at
present covers only foodstuffs and
fuel, so that it will meet the situation
with regard to all other necessities Of
life. Heavy prison penalties and
enormous fines are TO be provided for
those found guilty of boarding and
profiteering.
Mr. Wilson's program as a whole
now is complete. The suggestions are
such that they will require enactment
il at least three or four separate bills.
Limitation of profits, through some
system that is as yet not exactly clear,
is said to be one of the items. This
would apply to every agency that
handles commodities, from the origi-
nal producer to the retailer. Reduc-
ton in the price of wheat, now govern
ment controlled, also is likely to be
a proposal.
Testifying before senate com
mittee investigating living conditions
in the District of Columbia, Thomas
E. Wilson, president of Wilson &
Company, and chairman of the Insti-
tute of American Meat Packers, de-
clared the packers were not profiteer-
ing. The high cost of living, he told
the committee, was world problem
and not local.
Representative Frank w. Mondell,
Republican floor leader of the house,
sent letter to the White House ask
IN bo Duo RI tho uiGtt
to the Capitol, explaining that a great
many members of the house were alb
sent. He added that there hardly was
quorum present in Washington al
this time.
Mr.. Wilson sent letter to Mr.. Mon
dell saying it was impossible for him
to comply with the suggestion for de-
lay, explaining that he felt it a duty
to make the recommendations to re-
lieve the high cost of living situation
"at the earliest possible moment
The President called attention. to the
to postpone its recess because of his
desire that the cost of living problem
be taken up.
To those who watch events of this
character through political eyes it was
recognized that it meant another in
ming for the Administration. For the
second time within ten days they have
been put in a position of insisting Oh
| immediate action toward the reduction
of the cost Of living The first IN
| stance was when Mr.. Wilson asked the
house to give up its recess.
boarding of foodstuffs, according tC
evidence gathered by the federal trade
commission and other government
agencies, forms one of the worst fea
lures of the present situation.