The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-06
THE WAR AGAINST III. c. L.


Inquiry is being made regarding
the present whereabouts and activi-
ties of the local fair price commission.
The commission should be given
charitable consideration. 1t did the
best it could. It's failure to accom-
plish anything should not be set down
to its discredit. II Attorney General
Palmer with his army of assistants
backed by the whole power of the
federal government could not reduce
prices, how could a local fair price
commission be expected to do better?
1t was last August that the demands
of the railway brotherhoods for more
pay to meet the increased cost of liv-
ing stirred the president and his de-
partment heads to activity in a cam
paign to reduce the price of commod-
tiles. The brotherhoods were be-
sought by Mr.. Wilson to postpone
their demands until the government
had had a chance to get at the prof
iteers and bring the cost of food and
clothing down from the high price
levels which they had reached. The
president appeared before a joint ses-
sion of the senate and house and ap-
prised the people OF the country of his
determination to put every resource
of the administration at the work of
bringing down prices. They consti-
tute burden upon u.s." declared Mr..
Wilson, which is the more unbear-
able because we know that it is will
fully imposed by those who have the
power and that it can by vigorous pub
lie action be greatly lightened and
made to square with the actual con-
ditions of supply and demand"
Vigorous public action" was
promptly instituted by Attorney Cen
era1 Palmer, who issued orders to his
subordinates all over the country to
pursue profiteers pitilessly and leave
no stone unturned to accomplish the
objects of the drive against prices.
The department of agriculture issued
much literature telling the public what
prices ought to be, and holding the
profiteers up to popular execration.
The war department opened the doors
Of its storehouses, and distributed to
the people at cost its surplus supplies.
Daniels came to the front with sugar
which was not needed on the ships.
| Congress- determined that no blame
should attach to it for keeping prices
up, followed Mr.. Wilson's recommen-
dations that he be clothed with more
legislative power with which to carry
on his campaign. The Lever food
control act was extended and ampli-
fled, putting added authority in the
hands of the attorney general, and
other bills were introduced in accord
ance with the presidents wishes.
Now, what has been the practical
benefit to the consumer of all this?
Official figures have just been pub
| lished showing that instead of prices
coming down, they have steadily
mounted. A comparison of prices in
New York City on August is last and
today indicate that wholesale prices
have risen from 10 to 100 per cent
during that period. White potatoes
have gone up IS per cent; cabbages,
! over 100 per cent; onions, from 1925
per hundred pounds to $3.50; and ap-
pies, from $3.50 per barrel to from IS
to $3.50. In the case of meats the
advance has been marked. On August
8 beef was selling at from SIP to SIC
per hundred pounds. Now it is quoted
at from SIG to SIT. Lamb has in
creased a dollar per hundred pounds
for choice cuts, So a hundred for me
dunn, and 81 per hundred for common
cuts.
Where is the profiteer who is be-
hind the bars as a result of anything
Mr.. Palmer has done? 1t is true that
certain proceedings were undertaken
against the big packers, but were
peacefully compromised with no ap-
parent benefit to the harassed con-
sumner. Nobody has heard of any
other cases pending in the courts OF
contemplated.