Evening star., 1943-05-21
i. ). Attorney
Gets Data on
Black Market
Warrants Expected
Soon in Sales of
Potatoes Here

The United States attorneys
Office today had in its possession
the testimony OF a Substantial
number OF persons" who were
brought into the Office yesterday by
John Laskey, chief attorney for the
District OPA, in connection with
alleged black market operations in
potatoes.
Mr.. Laskey said the presentation
of the evidence by the OPA to the
United States Attorney was COM
pleted in the cases involved and he
expected warrants would be issued
soon.
Meanwhile, Commissioner John
Russell Young today asked Fire
Chief Stephen T. Porter to conduct
an immediate investigation and
make a report as soon as possible
on truck which was parked on the
areaway in front of Engine House
No. 10 at Twenty-eighth street and
Pennsylvania avenue Sc. and from
which potatoes were being sold at
the above ceiling price Of 10 cents
a pound
Report May Be Delayed.
Chief Porter directed a battalion
chief engineer and deputy bat
talon chief to conduct the investi-
cation.
The fire chief said at noon today
that the investigation was under
way, but that 1t might be several
days before complete report is
available One of the flremen to be
questioned is on furlough and is
not due to report for duty until
Wednesday. it was said.
Meanwhile. fireman on duty this
morning at the No. 10 Engine House
said the potato truck was parked in
front of the fire station only briefly
and that he did not know Of any
sales that were made to the general
public.
One OF the firemen went to West
Virginia on furlough, he explained,
and the men at the engine house
asked him to bring them back some
potatoes. The fireman returned
with a truckload. accompanied by
his brother-in-laW, who has farm
there. it was said.
The brother-in-law, it was further
explained, drove the truck by the
engine house last night to weigh out
potatoes for the firemen who had
ordered them.
Commissioner Young expressed
amazement that a privately owned
truck could be parked against the
front of the building. aside from the
question as to whether potatoes were
being sold there in black market
operation.
Commissioner Young said he
would have no formal comment to
make until he had received the re-
port of Chief Porter.
Information Sought.
Mr.. Laskey today appealed to
other citizens throughout the Dis
trict to bring in complaints in any
instances where they have been
charged more than the legal price
ceiling for potatoes. Mr.. Laskey
promised that his Office would do
everything possible to end the flow
of black market potatoes into the
city, but he pointed out that the CO.
operation of local citizens was i'm
portant in this respect.
Mr.. Laskey met yesterday with
Assistant District Attorneys John B.
Diamond and Ray L. Jenkins to
listen to the complaints of stream
of persons who presented testimony
that they had been overcharged for
potatoes. Mr.. jenkins and Mr..
Diamond said they hoped the war
rants could be signed today and
served on the alleged violators i'm
mediately.
Swift Action Pledged.
District Attorney Edward NJ
Curran has pledged that his Office
will act swiftly in connection with
all black market cases presented to
him by the OPA. He said he would
not tolerate disregard of the law
by grafters who seek to rob house
wives by ignoring price ceilings in
black market operations"
Since there are no legal prece-
dents to follow in presenting cases
of this kind to the courts, attorneys
here said they would have to make
a thorough study of the law in
volved and the methods to be used
in presenting evidence.
Maximum penalty for violations
of this kind is one year in Jail and
a $4,000 fine.