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Show AN AMAZING DISCOVERY. The house of representatives hss been made aware of the fact that profiteering profiteer-ing is going on. Many persons outside the house of representatives have known it for a long while, but, in the minds of not a few, there was a considerable con-siderable degree of cloubt as to whether the congressmen were also possessed of that which was common knowledge. At any rate, the representatives know about it now. They have been told about it by one of their colleagues. Representative King of Illinois last week opened his heart, his mind F.cl his mouth and unbosomed himself. He did it within the hearing of all. Eep-resentstive Eep-resentstive King went so far as to say that one of the favorite haunts of the genial profiteer is in the house building build-ing itself, being, so to speak, next door to the place where they make laws inimical to his well-being or, at least, are supposed to make them. Discussing the restaurant which is conducted in the marble palace in which the house sits, a restaurant supposedly for the secretaries, clerks and other employees, Mr. King said that '"the first duty of congTess is to start right here in its own office building and clean up its own mess. 7 ' Although Mr. King spoke of the "enormous and outrageous charges that are inflicted."' it costs the taxpayers of the United States approximately 540,001' every year to make up the deficit de-ficit of the various eating places in the capitol and its office buildings, which are run for the benefit of members mem-bers and capitol employees. Mr. King pointed out that none of these restaurants pays rent or any fixed charge except salaries. The remuneration remunera-tion of the waiters is only ?j a week and what they can get in tips. The Illinois member called attention to some of the " t xorbi'.ar.t prices demanded in the par".:-, ular restaurant under consideration, and he added that he was vastly amazed nr.J not a little shocked by what he had discovered. A plate of ordinary thin lean sup C':-:s 15 cents: chicken pic "made pnneipally of carrots,'' costs 75 irn. "Sor:' c yen have tasted that composition." rrrimly remarked the speaker. A "handful "hand-ful of poorly corked bcar.s" w:-h"ut ror"K, cos's Co cents: Vrowncd p"ia-oes CO cents: chicken sandwich, edd, -10 cents; coffee, 10 cutts; a bowl of milk. Co cents: one t-ar of corn, 11 cents. "And." declared Eepres. r.t at n e King. bittrly, "they insist on charging charg-ing fifteen cents for a package of smoking tobacco that you can buy anywhere any-where else for a dime." So, the activity of the profiteer has not only been brought to the door of the house of representatives, but also has actually been brought through that door. If any member hitherto has been in d-uM that lV profiteer is abroad in the h'.a 1. all he has to do to convince himself that i.t-wy.;iper reports re-ports to that effect are true is to sttp through a haiiwav to thrt rc-'aurar.t. |
