Evening star., 1920-01-16
SENATOR SHERMAN
SEESPR0F|TEER|NG
IN RETAIL PRICES
Introduces Bill Appropriating
S5OO,O0O to Start a Gov
ernment Store.

Declaring that profiteering against
government clerks and government
officials must cease, Senator Sherman,
chairman of the District committee,
today introduced bill to establish a
government store to sell all kinds of
food and clothing to the government
employees at cost The bill authorizes
the appropriation of 100000 to set
up the store. THE store is to be un-
der the joint control of the Senate
and House District Committees AL
goods are to be sold at the whole
sale price for which they are bought
by the government.
Senator Sherman, addressing the Sem
ate on his bill, asserted that the gov
ernment employees are paying 1913 to
200 per cent proht to the merchants
here on the goods they buy. He said
that the increase in prices naturally
led to the demand for the increase in
compensation.
Il propose that the government
shall buy at wholesale prices and sell
at cost to all employees in the gov
ernment in the District. l think that
will bring prices here to legitimate
level 1 wish to give notice to the
middlemen here OF what l propose.
If these gentlemen find their occupa-
tions gone it will be their own fault
and because of their profiteering. I
believe that it will be practicable for
store"
Opposes Creation of State.
Senator Sherman said that frequent
ly residents of the District appeared
before congressional committees urg-
ing that the District be created a
state, with members of Congress
elected from the District
Il am willing" said Senator Sher-
man. that the District of Columbia
shall elect delegates to sit in the
Senate and the House to represent the
to establishing a state in the District
of Columbia. 1t would give the resi-
dents here too great independence of
Congress.
THE District of Columbia was es-
tabliShed as seat of government un-
der the Constitution and not as a
place for a lot of middlemen to prof
There is no question now of Congress
engaging in running store for gov
ernment employees.
Il wish to give warning to the
proflteering landlords here also, as
well as to the merchants. that if they
believe the government employees are
helpless they are mistaken. 1 pro-
pose to introduce a series Of meas
ureS of which that introduced today
is only the first. l wish to give no
tice that if the Ball law, establishing
the rent commission, is attacked by
the landlords l will propose an occu-
pational tax upon these landlords.
The fund raised from this tax
would use to relieve the suffering OF
the poor who have been evicted from
houses.
Warns Government Omcials.
And while we are discussing prof
iteering landlords it may be as well
to give notice to government officials
that protiteering is out of place. 1 am
informed that Rear Admiral Grayson
the other day evicted a tenant from
one of the houses he owned and put
her on the streets because she would
not pay an increase in rent.
Il have been informed also that
one of the judges of the District court
which will have to pass upon the
validity of the Ball law, if it is attacked
recently said that the Ball law is not
worth the paper it is written on.
He said this with no case before
kim. He pre-judged the law. A ju-
dicial officer who would do such a
thing should be impeached and re-
moved from office. l will await with
interest what this judge and court
may do and, if events justify it, ]
may take steps against him in the
Senate and in the House"