The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-03
PALMER EXCEEDED POWER IN FIXING
 PRICE, IS CHARGE
Acted in Sugar Question Without Authority, Says Report of Inquiry
 Committee
By Associated Press

Washington, June 1.-The sugar in- vestigating committee ill a majority re- port. presented to the House today, de- clared that Attorney General Palmer had used his power as chief prosecuting of- ficer of the government flor the purpose of fixing maximum selling prices of su- gar in Louisiana and in so doing acted wholly without authority of law and Tn violation of his own construction Of hls official duty"
 The report prepared by Representative Tiusted, republican. New York, as chair man, charged that the legalistic method adopted by the attorney general, was wholly ineffective a means of price control" and that it gave apparent governmental sanction to extremely high prices. which excited the cupidity of Gu ban producers and caused an advance in the Cuban market.
 TWO REFUSE TO SIGN
 Representatives Whaey, South Caro- lima, and Summers, Texas, democratic members of the judiciary sub-commit- tee, which conducted the Investigation refused to sign the report and announced that they would file a minority report Republican members, including Chalr- man Husted, who agreed in the findings were Representative Classon, Wisconsin, and Boies, Iowa.
 NIT. Hbtfner lHStSlSu bCAOiO eiAS NS'-i rnittee that he had not fixed sugar prices but had merely stated the position of the department as to prosecution for profiteering- g-that Louisiana planters sell ing at more than IT cents and IS cents wholesale, would be prosecuted under the Lever act.
 There were eight findings in the ma" iority report, the resolution introduced by Representative Tinkhann, republican, achusetts. calling for an investiga- tion. confining the committee inquiry to Louisiana transactions
 MAJORITY REPORT
 The majority findings folloW'
 "The Attorney General on the eighth day of November, 1919, gave his official approval to tentative arrangemeht made by United States Attorney Henry Mooney. with a committee representing the sugar planters of Eoulsiana, by which was established a maximum price of F cents per pound for prime yeiioW clarified sugar, and IS cents per pound for clear granulated sugar, net, on pian- tation.
 ''The above stated prices were fixed by said arrangement for the entlre 1.ouls- jana 19l9-1920 sugar crop.
 "The Attorney General fixed said prices at time when he considered tkem rather high had just been ad- vised by his representative in Louisiana, United States Attorney Henry Mooney that such prices were in excess of the fair average price for the crop, and when he. had reason to believe that the en- tire crop could be purchased at 14 or Ia cents per pound
 Crop conditions in Louisiana during the year 1919 varied greatly in different parts of the state and on different planta- tions. In some cases the loss of crop was vely heavy In others it was com parativey light. so that fixed prize for sugar which would yield only a fair and reasonable profit 10 the producer whose cost os rroduetion did not exceed the general average Of the state. would rermt a certain class of producers to
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