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Show : lW Pi 14 11 II If 1 1 (Spill 111 II MJA P Attorney General Asks for Million Dollars for Expenses; Other Appropriations Ap-propriations Desired. Report of First Federal Conviction for Profiteering Profi-teering Is Made; Campaign Cam-paign Under Way. WASHINGTON, Aug. 13. Important new developments in tho government's fight to reduce the high cost of living came today. One of the most interesting was the announcement an-nouncement by Attorney General Palmer that the first federal conviction lor profiteering had been obtained. District Attorney Iucey telegraphed from Blng- : ham tori, N. Y.,' that ' a retail grocer had been fined $500 for selling sugar at 15 cents a pound. Iso details vere given, and the law under which the case was brought was not known hero. "A few good cases of profiteering in I each stale will settle that trouble," Mr. Palmer remarked. In order to bring to book persons guilty of raising prices exorbitantly or hoarding ! food to advance prices, Mr. Palmer sub- ; mittcd to the agriculture committee of congress the draft of an amendment to the food control act extending its provisions pro-visions to clothing and containers of foods and feeds, and providing a penalty of J5000 fine or two years' imprisonment or both for violation of the law. Chairman Chair-man Haugen of the houso committee announced an-nounced that the amendment would bo considered immediately by a subcommittee subcommit-tee and that a report might be made tomorrow. to-morrow. PALMER ANXIOUS FOR SPEEDY CONSIDERATION. It is Mr. Palmer's idea that this amend-i amend-i ment should be considered before taking I up other amendments suggested by President Presi-dent Wilson to. extend tho effective life of the food control act beyond the war period. Three cabinet officers asked special appropriations ap-propriations from congress for the campaign cam-paign against Inflated prices. Secretary Redfield requested JilO.OOO for the work of the bureau of standards in assuring full weight and measure and of the bureau bu-reau of fisheries in introducing new fish foods. Secretary Wilson asked for ?-!75.-000 for the employment of special agents and others, and Mr. Palmer requested 51,000,000 for the bureau of Investigation and for tho expenses of tho state food administrators assisting the department of Justice. Another $200,000 was asked for for antitrust anti-trust suits, especially that against tho five b'.g packing companies. The attorney attor-ney general also wants 2on,000 for other work of the department, not directly connected con-nected with the lining problem, uch as tho enforcement of wartime prohibition, prosecution of appeals and hiring of special spe-cial assistants. GOVERNORS WOULD CUT OUT RED TAPE. Asked today If he had any reports indicating in-dicating sufficient food held in storage to effect prices materially if released, ' Mr. palmer revealed that a number of governors gov-ernors had appealed to him to cut "Yt-d ;a;e" in forcing on the market "amazing quantities" of foods tu if d now in io:-;;ce. In some rases. It was sal-i, the food has been held longer than permitted by state I laws, but technicalities rar.-iir.p 1 ;-.:-r-' at a to commerce had prevented the ov- err.ors from undertaking s-izu;t; or prosecution. prose-cution. Mr. Palmer ordered j.:i distr.ct attorneys to assist the governor?. Rpt.ns of exressivo storks of food he'd ' In Morape have been rec---ivfd from a t ! 1-MSt six states, the attorney e f ' e r;i i saifl. Tie rieci-nod to bo more spe,-if:c, but it I wa? '.;-.ni'-ald that New Jersey was one ; of th MaL-'S. 1 P'.i'rng' conditions a'so sre er.t-ar;-1; ,.'.. e at".e:it:o:i of the state fu-od af".:r-.::-.:-i frators. Fcvrr.'.l of horn bave asx-d ,f J 'r.ey were authorized to publish Tb.e t'ac: wb.rti It ar7' r"l I'rni r.ure fr,.; tv,.t i b.r.g he,d from tV p"-' ''" tb.an l r- a- ( Continued ou Page 3, Column 3.) BS FOB HDIEf TQ PRESS FIGHT Palmer Whipping Plans for Battle on High Prices Into Shape. (Continued From Page One.) fionahts requirements of a dealer demanded. de-manded. "I told them to go right ahead and to use the names," Mr. Palmer announced. "I am interested in petting as much information in-formation on this subject to the ultimate consumer as I possibly can." Reports to the department showed that orpani nation of fair price committees In counties are proceeding rapidly. "The effect or the government's campaign cam-paign are indicated in the revision by the war department of prices to be charged for surplus army food. Reductions Reduc-tions were made, "to meet competition by retailers." Authority asked yesterday by Secretary Secre-tary Glass to use the treasury secret service in the fight against high prices was based on the use of the service in food investigations during the war. The cost of living continued to color much of the debate in congress today. Republican Leader Mondell of the house s;'id today he believed congress would adopt the president's suggestion and amend the food control act so as to make it apply to other necessities. This view is said to reflect the attitude of the majority in the house, at least. IWr. Mondell said there was some opposition opposi-tion to the attorney general's request that the treasury's secret service force be made available for the job of breaking up profiteering. |