Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-06-03

lima, and Summers. Texas, Democratic
members of the judiciary sub-commIt-
tee. which conducted the Investigation,
refused to sign the report and an
nounced that they would file minority
report Republican members including
Chairman Hustled. who agreed in the
findings, were Representatives Classon,
Wisconsin, and Beies, Iowa.
Palmer Denies Charge. e
Mr.. Palmer insisted before the com
mittee that he had not fixed sugar
prices. but had merely stated the posi-
ton of the department as 70 prosecu-
tion for profiteering-that Louisiana
planters selling at more than IL and Is
cents wholesale would be prosecuted IN
der the Lever Law.
There were eight findings in the ma
iority report, the resolution introduced
by Representative Tnkam of Massa-
chusetts, calling for an investigation,
confining the committee into Louisiana
transactions
The majority findings fnIluM:
''rhe attorney general, on the eighth
day of November, 1919, gave hts off,
cial approval to a tentative arrange
ment made by United States Attorney
Henry Mooney with committee rep
resentinr the sugar planters of boulslt
ana. by which was established maxi
mum price of II cents per pound for
prime yellow clarified sugar and IL
cents per pound for clear granulated
sugar. net on plantation.
Fixed for i9t9-20 Crop
THE above stated prices were fixed
by said arrangement for the entire
Louisiana 1919-1920 sugar crop
''The attorney general fixed prices st
a time when he considered them 'rath-
err high had just been advised by hrs
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 entire
crop could be purchased at Il or 10
cents per pound.
Crop conditions in Louisiana dur
ing the year 1919 varied greatly in diff
ferent parts of the state and on differ
ent plantations. In some cases the loss
of crop was very heavy: in others it
was comparatively light SO that fixed
price for sugar which would yield only
a fair and reasonable profit to the pro-
ducer whose cost of production did not
exceed the general average for the
state. would per NIT certain class OF
producers to make excessive profits and
would deprive another class of the fair
and reasonable profit to which ie was
culltieUs uuutE tllc hdN
Gives Immunity Is Charge
Under the arrangement effected BY
the attorney general with the commit
tee representing the sugar planters of
Louisiana. immunity from prosecution for
profiteering was conferred upon any and
all persons who might sell at or under
the price fixed by the attorney general
whether such prices were in violation of
the Lever act or not
The attorney general used his power
as chief prosecuting officer of the Cni-
ted States for the purpose of fixing
maximum selling prices OF sugar In the
state of Louisiana and in 80 doing, acted
wholly without authority of law and in
violation of his own construction of has
official duty. which precluded him from
placing any Interpretation upon United
States criminal statutes under which
possible violators might escape prose-
cution.
'Dn the eighth day of November,
1919, the attorney general had no power
to fix prices and his authority In the
premises was limited TO the prosecu-
ton of violators Of the provisions of
the forueth section of the Lever act
Gained Excessive Profits
s.The method adopted by the attor-
ney general was wholly ineffective ef
means of price control: it gave appar-
ont governmental sanction to extremely
high sugar prices. which excited the Gu
pidity Of Cuban producers and caused
advance In the Cuban market"
Declaring that the Louisiana crop
was small. with a big demand. the ma
iority charged that certain producers
In Louisiana obtained grossly exces-
sive profits" ss evidenced, it said hy
Ds~sanssAss.<sseSES>A