The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-20
WAR STARTED
ON PROFITEERS
Attorney General Asks Congress
For Drastic Legislation

Washington, Aug. 14.-Indications
nf the real punch behind the govern
n.ent's campaign to reduce the high
cost of living were given today in un-
mistakable fashion in many cities.
While Attorney General Palmer
was telling the senate agricultural
committee that he intended to prose-
cute every dealer guilty Of selling at
higher prices than those listed by the
fair price committee of each county,
word came from Chicago, St. Louis
and Birmingham of seizures Of great
qutntities of food stuffs by federal Of
lcials who recently were instructed
to proceed under the food control act
to stop boarding. In Chicago 1882
tubs of butter worth $4,000 were
seized, in ST. Louis, 24S,180 pounds of
coffee, which has been showing rapid
advances in price and in Birmingham
100 barrels of sugar.
Mr.. Palmer told the senate commit
tee that he believed the great majori-
ty Of farmers and food dealers We're
not prohteering. but that the suggest
ed amendment to the food control act
extending it to clothing and provid-
ing a criminal penalty Of $4,000 fine
was necessary to make effective the
campaigns against those who are dis
honestly gouging the public. There
was a division of opinion among the
senators as to the advisability Of the
legislation. several declaring that the
amendment gave the department of
justice too drastic powers over COM
merce, while others questioned the
constitutionality of extending the life
Of the food control act beyond the
declaration of peace, as has been sug-
gested.
The house agriculture committee
proceeded with cold storage legisla
ton today and announced that to-,
morrow the amendment to the food
control act would be taken up, with
Assistant Attorney General Ames dis
.cussing the need for it in the cam
paign to reduce prices. Mayors of
SO New Jersey cities made arrange
m1ents to appear before the commit
tee Monday to demand that something
effective be done TO mitigate the hard
ships under which the man Of aver
age income is suffering.
Absent members of the house were
ordered tonight TO return to Wash
ington at once, when it became ap-
parent that the agriculture committee
would report out the new legislation
this week. Republican Leader Mon
dell and Minority Leader Clarke both
declared that they were determined
to have a quorum present Monday.
While the more drastic method Of
prosecution. will be used by the de-
partmeut of justice to punish and
stop fragrant cases Of profiteering. it
was made clear today that the still
effective licensing provisions Of the
food control act would be invoked 20
reach dealers against whom no indict-
ment could be found in federal courts.
Officials of the food administration
notified the department that II cents
a pound was fair price for sugar
and this information was transmitted
to district attorneys with the signifi-
cant statement that where higher
prices were being charged, there evi-
dently was profiteering.
The department of agriculture to-
day asked 100000 from congress for
establishing information centers in va
rious cities, which would collect and
disseminate information concerning
prices.