Evening star., 1939-10-01
Roosevelt Assigns
Watch Over Prices
To Monopoly Unit
O'Mohoney Told Block
To Profiteering Would
Protect U. S. Economy
8y the Associated Press.

3y the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt asked the Mo-
nopoly Committee yesterday to be q
watchdog against proflteering grow
ing out of the war in Europe.
Instructing the committee to keep
"a constant eye" on prices of basic
materials, the President said in a
letter to Chairman O'Mahoney that
he believed the group was well
qualified to invoke the forceful
check of impartial inquiry on this
kind of un-American activity. e."
Mr.. Roosevelt added that he
thought the committee, which has
been studying the whole economic
structure of business, can we'll be-
come an important part of our first
line Of national defense against
ugly and inhuman greed"
The letter addressed Senator
OMahoney, who broke with the
President over the Supreme Court
bill in 1887, as Dear Joe"
To Speed Up Committee.
Obviously pleased with the as
signment, Senator O.Mahoney said
he would call the committee into
special session soon to outline meth
DDS of bringing its previous study
of price SRctures up to date.
He emphasized that there would
be no disposition to interfere with
normal price fluctuations, especi-
ally those brought about by in
creased wartime demand for agri-
cultural products. The committee,
he said, will interest itself only in
unwarrsnted and unjustified price
increases.
In his letter, the President said
the experiences following 1914
showed dangerous dislocations" in
the American economic setup might
occur as the result of proflteering
during a European war.
Fair Prices Wanted.
"Al of U.s." he wrote, ''of course,
want to see producers, middlemen
and retailers receive fair prices for
what they sell, and all of lis recog-
nize that in certain fields such fair
prices are probably as yet not be-
ing received.
But none of us wants to see the
cost of living unjustifiably increased
or prices become so unreasonably
high as to interfere with our ma
tional defense"
Senator OMahoney reported that
the Department of Justice had been
receiving an average of $50 COM
plants daily about unjustified price
increases since war broke out in
Europe. He said these complaints
came from business groups, citizens
associations, women's clubs, manu-
fscturers, wholesalers and retailers
Because of the great influx of
complaints, the antitrust division
has not been able to keep abreast
of them, Senator O'Mahoney said.
He indicated these protests would
be studied by the committee.
Text of Roosevelt Letter.
The text of Mr.. Roosevelt's letter
to Senator O'Mahoney:
I'VE all know from the experiences
following 1914 the dangerous dis
locations to American economic life
which may occur as result Of
proflteering when there is q war In
Europe.
CAS- I see 1t. the Temporary Ma
tonal Economy Monopoly Com
mittee is we'll qualified to invoke the
forceful check of impartial public
inquiry on this kind OF un-American
activity, and I was, therefore. much
interested in your remarks on that
subject at the T. N. E. c. hearings
on September IS.
"All of us. Of course, want to see
producers, middle men and retailers
receive fair prices for what they
sell, and all of us recognize that in
certain fields such fair prices are
probably not as yet being received.
But none Of us wants to see the cost
of living unjustitiably increased or
prices become so unreasonabfy high
as to interfere with our national
defense.
'It seems to me, therefore, that
during this period the r. N. E. C..
might we'll keep constant eye on
increases in our basic materials and,
in the light of past and present cir
cumstances, study the facts to de-
termine whether there is proflteer-
ing, or whether such increases are
legitimate.
II agree with you that such con-
slant surveillance is clearly in keep
ing with the purposes and objectives
for which the T. N. E. c. was estab-
lished. and I believe that, in carry
ing forward such a program, your
committee can well become an i'm
portant part of our first line Of
national defense against ugly and
inhuman greed"
St. Louis Mayor Writes
OF Grocery Bids Increase