Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-10-30 | Page 7 | Profiteer Drive Ordered by U. S.

PROFITEER II j lEIIEWii. S. Department Requests Vigorous Vigor-ous Prosecution Where Law Is Broken. Vigorous prosecution of profiteers un- der the provisions of the food control act has been ordered in Instructions received yesterday by W. W. Hay, United SUtef district attorney, from the department of justice at Washington. As a result of the enactment of the food control act, with its amendment by congress last week, federal district attorneys are furnished with laws which will permit them to indict in-dict profiteers. As amended, the law provides that only reasonable profits be made on all neces-cities neces-cities of life. This includes wearing apparel, ap-parel, food and other necessities. The letter received by Mr. Ray from the department of Justico contained the following: "You will note that this enlarges the scope of the original act by including J wearing apparel.' "You will note also that It prescribes ; penalties for the violation of the provision pro-vision of section 4 of the food control act. This section makes unlawful, among other things, unfair practices and the making of unjust or unreasonable rates or charges. This will enable you to prosecute pros-ecute profiteers. "You are urgently requested and Instructed In-structed to see that this measure is vigorously vig-orously enforced in your district." The letter also informed Mr. Kay that the investigation bureau of the department depart-ment of justice is at his disposal and will furnish the best cooperation in securing se-curing evidence for prosecutions, and instructed in-structed him to tako measures to speed the work where the handling of tho situation sit-uation is not sufficiently aggressive. The letter also stated that Ihe success or failure of the present campaign depends de-pends largely upon the district attorney, and invited special attention in the work. Mr Hay said that for some time investigator's in-vestigator's for the department of jus-tire jus-tire have been conducting a search here for evidence of profiteering and that the communication received yesterday is especially significant in view of the fact that a grand jury has been called for next month. "While Mr. Ray was noncommittal and would not discuss specific cases of profiteering, prof-iteering, he intimated that some cases had been uncovered in this stale by department de-partment of justice agents.