Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-11
RETAILERS PRICES
. TO Be SCRUT|NRED
BY LOCAL PRObERS
Attorney General Palmer
Calls for Help of Former :.
Hoover Aids.
COMMITTEES TO-PUBLIsH
"FAIR" CHARGES FOR FOODS
Investigators Have Power to
Learn Cost and Reveal Differ
ence to Public.
HOPE TO UNCOVER PRoFITEERs
Officials RcIiorc Ctoo yUf1l C,,rh
COMMITTEES TO-PUBLIsH
"FAlR" CHARGES FOR FOODS
HOPE TO UNCOVER pRoF1TEEBs
Officials Believe Step VIII Curb
Excessive Quotations by Dealers
Throughout Country.

WASHINGTON. August 1o.-Attor-
ney-General Palmer started out to-
day TO ascertain how much of the high
cost of living is due to excessive profits
by retailers.
In telegram to all State food ad-
ministrators who worked with Adj
minstrator Hoover during the war.
the Attorney-General requested the np-
pointment OF fair price committee
in each county to investigate Hh,t
Is being charged for retail necess;-
ties and II in excess OF what the COM
mittee considers Just. to publish a list
of fair prices for the guidance of the
This is the "extra-legaw means of
reaching profteerinG which Mr.. Palmer
recently Indicated was under consid-
Grafton. He has frankly admitted from
the start that mere was no means to
prosecute directly man guilty of ex-
s9r,I9n gnE'ns In ,h prices; Retailers who are
have to be disciplined by public aenti-
ment, which officials have.no-doabt.-is'
snii,Gsnt,Hy alert to the situation now
ton. Protiteers. on the other hand,
can be reached by the wartime food
as ss Sat-, ss ana ,naa M
evidence OF hoardins or other @ rlo,ay a
counter in their work. with the prom
Use that the government.s law
Increment machinery would act
promptly.
N" Compensation Provided.
the restoration OF normal conditions.
Mr.. Palmers telegram said. reousst,
ing the men who did such effective
ufnf again the rSey @eIs TO take up the
serve without compensation. the All
,,forney.General ,fn believing that tho pub
important as when the su country nHM vas was as
engaged In hostilities, and that no
patriotic citizen would refuse the call
20 y duty. Attorney-General Palmer's
IN order TO secure accurate infor-
ma'iSn ma or, relative to charges of proiteer-
ties 1t is the desire OF the government
TO ascertain whether or not such
dealers n,a aIeIs are making more than fair
who have been county food aSminias
rrdr1rs point under your jurisdiction to ap-
one retailer OF sroceries. one or arS
goods. representative of the proy
uuicers' ,,.is' or organized labor. Of house
the public generally, also a wbolasa,o.
when practicable? tei
Asked to Make Inquiry.
Please request them to pursue an
PefEa,mSsey refersnss y The be- same INQUIRIES with
ordinary necessities in dry goods and
clothing that were pursued bv vomr
dmInis pT,Se committees under the food
vii wII''Scs,rntion he an act, This committee
power TO- summon witnesses or fis
prizes, Prices: 1t is requested. however. to
fair man mnrs,jn ine &C cost prices. determine a
prices are in,excess OF what the com.
nn ~, ,bits sifs rSgards fair price to have
ing to go IT'S foT ist OF fair prees report
Iusstea Is,i 10 report TO the Department OF
3usticc general review OF the situa-
tioh IN your State.
Evidence OF Hoardins.
vioiahiyons iahy evidence nf 60 Of boarding or. other
which may be developed in the work
o. such committees should be turned
Uyep wbp u.i,, 10 the he United States attorney.
ms resources as well as those OF the
bureau or tnvestiga ton. to co-operate
win you and your committees in seek
the law. ''o'a'ofs OF
-, There is a pressing necessity for
arh ,ne restoration re- Of normal conditions,
same organization. which YOU had NO ae
Federal food administrator. Won and
yomr y,nr administrators. together with
snrwIcap sne,I appointees' can render a valuable
ssi ice 10 the country at this time
ana ana your cooperation and theirs. with.
OUT compensation. will be greatly ap-
a., NS'"tcu' Ine widest publicity of
ms movement. and the results oh.
famed by the county committees. II ia
nc!ieVed. VIII be an important factor
n IN Its success. Please wire whether
the government can count upon your
active cooperation"
To Post Fair PrIces.
once fair prices are arrived M and
posted by the food administrators All
or me strength OF the Department ~
justice vii! he used to maintain or.
servance OF these prices by whoIesalepa
and retailers of foodstuffs. Any vIos
lations OF the fair-price lists will ba
reported Immediately to the nearesp
United states district attorney. and hs
VIII be vested with authority to pro-
ceea at once against the proiiteer. -
Meantime. investigators OF the Do.
partment OF Justice have reported thai
large quantities OF foodstufYs havs
been been stored in various parts OF tho
country, and the United States dis
irict attorneys are investigating thesa
accumulations OF supplies to deter
nine whether prosecutions for yjoia.
IONS OF the food-control act shall be
begun In accordance with Attorney-
General Paimer's Instructions.
Cover Food Destruction.
The. general instructions issued by
the AttOrnay-GAnAyaI - Yy-I.-S