The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-08-01
PROSECUTOR MAY
START FOOD PROBE
HAS BEEN GATHERING
EVIDENCE OF PRoFIz 4 kN,
May Call Special Graz
Upon His Return Fro VI
Columbus. S1
Does evidence already furnished A
warrant probe of food prices I'll
alleged combinations in Medina coui
L

Does evidence already furnished II
warrant probe Of food prices All
alleged combinations in Medina coui
ty? NJ
This is the question that Prosecut-(
ing Attorney Stine will be called up
on to decide upon hisNreturn from Co.
lumbus, where he was called Wednes-
day to attend a meeting Of county
prosecuting attorneys with the at
t0rney general. This call was issued
last week, following an appeal made
by Gov. Cox. that the attorney gen.
erals Office take immediate steps to
reduce the excessive profits now being
made on food stuffs.
The attorney general Immediately
sent notices to the SO county prosecu-
tors as follows:
"As you have doubtless noticed by
the press. this Office is about to un-
dertake an investigation relative to
the prevailing high prices of food
necessities, and, as every county in
the state is affected in some manner
or other, l am taking the liberty of
asking you to meet with the prosecu-
ting attorneys of the various coun-
ties here in Columbus on Wednesday
afternoon, July 80, at 2 o'clock, the
meeting to be held in the chamber
of the house Of representatives in the
state house.
"This call is sent to you following
the receipt Of a letter from the gov
ern0r, and your full cooperation in
the matter, as well as your presence
at the meeting on Wednesday, will
be greatly appreciated by me-"
Prosecutor Stine at first thought
the scope of the inquiry would not
take in the smaller counties of the
state, where there is an absence of
larger towns and cities. Later as the
move gained more publicity he re-
ceived many and varied complaints
which convinced him that Medina
county needs an investigation as badly
as many of the other counties.
The number of complaints regard
ing conditions as they now exist that
came into the prosecutors Office early
in the week was surprising as well as
varied.
One woman reported that she could
get ansoffer Of but 80 cents pound
for homemade lard, while the same
quality was retailing at from AZ to
AS cents pound. From another Sec
tion came similar complaint re-
garding lard.
Another charge made was that
grocers were making an average of
II cents pound on coffee.
From another source came a query
regarding an alleged combine as to
the price charged for gasoline. 1t was
. pointed out that gasoline is unloaded
at Medina, hauled overland to outly-
ing districts like Brunswick and re-
tailed from these points 2 cents a
gallon less than it can be obtained in
Medina, although the dealer pays ex-
actly the same for his product.
Still another complaint came from
large purchaser of corn syrup, who
stated that $500 cents gallon was
asked for syrup that could be obtained
for 38 cents wholesale.
These and numerous other COM
plants convinced the prosecuting at
torney that it was his duty to attend
the meeting called at Columbus.
While there various methods of con-
ducting inquiries into profits made
will be thoroughly gone into and
a probable plan of action decided on.
During the war the grocers Of the
county. formed semi-organization to
regulate food distribution and prices
at the request Of the food admins
traitor, although these meetings were
in direct violation of the Valentine
law, the state law which prohibits q
c0llusion between dealers regarding
the fixing of prices. This phase .o1
the question will also be gone into al
the Columbus meeting.
Prosecuting Attorney Slime stated
just previous to his departure that he
was against an investigation that cost
the county money and did nothing. He
declared that he would submit some
Of the evidence he has received te
the attorney general and if il
warranted an investigation he woult
call a special grand jury and instruct
them to 60 the limit.
To call a special session of the
grand jury for almost any length o1
time would cost the county in thu
neighborhood of $4O0 and it is realized
that this would be criminal waste
= of the county's money unless the evi
dence as now submitted can be sub
stantiated.