Show HOOVER SHARPENS AX FOR FOOD PROFITEERS I I Dealers Charging Exorbitant Exorbitant I tant Prices to F Feel eel Hand Han I of Administration By By Harry B. B S. S Hunt WASHINGTON D D. C c. Dec 1 Food Administrator Hoover Is getting ready to swing his big stick One line of prosecution n will be against large retail dealers who have made temporary shortages in sugar and salt an excuse to force sales of other commodities dealers h have ve required customers to purchase 50 cents cents' worth of other goods to get two pounds of sugar or 1 worth of other stuff to get four pounds Hoover has ruled that dealers dealer may require but one combination purchase that that they may mayy require purchase of two pounds of cornmeal for each pound of sugar Any other requirement of combination purchases is strictly outside outside outside out out- side Hoovers Hoover's regulations TO CH CHECK ECK PRICES The second class of prosecutions willbe will willbe willbe be of dealers charging exorbitant prices simply because a shortage en enables enables enables en- en ables them to collect more nore I Sugar for or instance is regulated I through Its entire course from producer producer producer pro pro- ducer to retailer the price range being definitely fixed These regulated prices place sugar sugar in m the hands of retailers at ata ata ata a figure that should enable it to reach the consumer with consumer with a fair profit to the retailer retailer retailer-at at between 9 and 10 cents a pound Many l dealers evidently be belIeving believing believing be- be lieving Hoover does not mean what he says have boosted prices to 12 15 and even 20 cents Where dealers who have required illegal il illegal illegal il- il legal combination purchases or who have boosted prices are licensed they can be dealt with directly If It Hoover voles revokes r their licenses they cannot continue continue continue con con- in business Some of the worst offenders are chain stare store concerns One One One-of of these concerns may be made the first fust example CAN REACH VIOLATORS I Violators not licensed will be reached through their sour source e of supply Wholesalers wholesalers wholesalers whole whole- salers and jobbers being ordered to re refuse refuse re- re fuse them further supplies The third class of prosecutions wilLbe wilLbe will willbe be of individuals juals hoarding foodstuffs in excess of their normal needs and the fourth class will be of persons found guilty of wasteful handling han The food law makes male ft It unlawful knowing knowingly ly to waste or willfully to permit preventable preventable preventable pre pre- deterioration of foodstuffs Several cases of this tills nature have been discovered s seemingly fostered by pro- pro Germans and these cases are to be pushed to the limit Permission to require purchases of cornmeal with sugar may be revoked and all combination purchases absolutely absolutely absolutely forbidden The desire to get more general use of corn prompted t this is isone one exception but it appears that even one exception makes the whole rule ineffective Great Britain flatly forbids forbids forbids for for- bids combination purchase requirements require require- ments Consumers should report to their state administrators all violations of regulations and be ready to stand be behind behind behind be- be hind their reports as prosecuting witnesses wit wit- nesses I i |