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Show NUT ACTION 18 IHM HOT Something Must be Done to Relieve Sugar Shortage and Profiteers Should be Prosecuted. (Special to The Record.) Washington D. C. May 20 Immediate Immed-iate governmental action to relievo the present sugar' shortage and curb profiteering was advocated by Senator Smoot of Utah and other senate leaders during the debate on ' the resolution calling for an investigation of Attorney General Palmer's action in boosting tho price of Louisiana sugar. Senator Smoot declared that the prevailing high prices were duo to speculation and advocated tho prosecution prose-cution of all profiteers. He advocated that every member of Congress seo to it that cases' of suspected profiteering in individual states and localities be reported to the Attorney General in person. Senator Owen. (Dem.) of Oklahoma Okla-homa declared an Oklahoma wholesale whole-sale merchnnt hnd written him that outsido speculators' were deliberately buying up and honrding sugar. Scnntor Swanson (Dem.) of Virginia Virgin-ia said tho situation was "serious", ond that either Congress or some governmental department should take "some strenuous action nnd sec that the situation is improved." Ho rec-otnmendcd rec-otnmendcd that the Senate Finance Committee investigate the situation with n view to recommending "some way to get rid of this difficulty." Blaming speculation for the high price, of . sugar, Rep. Howard (Dem.) of Oklahoma announced that he would introduce a bill in tho next few days designed to curb all speculators. "Speculators arc quoting and selling sell-ing sugar at more than 10 cents per, pound over the average cane sugar, refinery price" declared Mr. Howard.! "I nm advised tliat dealers in nil) lines in no way related to the. production produc-tion or distribution of foods arc buying buy-ing and selling sugar, nnd oftentimes a singlo car is sold n number of timc3 before it is finally distributed by the wholesaler to tho retailer and by the retailer to tho consumer." ' Conferences between sugar refiners and Department of Justice officials on i sugar prices and supplies ended sud-! denly today nftcr a brief session. No statement was made as to what trans- pircd but it was understood tho department de-partment might call tho refiners' i representatives . togetner again in a 1 few days. |