Show government investigations ION IONS S the government go has begun in an investigation vesti gation of the high cost of living the legal department is endeavoring to determine whether or not there has been violation of statute law lav the agriculture department is invest gating farm products in tile the face of it the governments investigation is ig both comprehensive and promising of results but bill government investigations as a rule have yielded few results very recently an investigation of the high cost coat of news print paper terminated in a report to congress the entire report has not yet been made public that is 0 of little or no benefit to anybody according to abstracts prepared for publication one abstract stated that news print paper cost the manufacturer fac per hundred pounds yet it is still selling on the market at from 3 to per hundred pounds what is more to the point when investigations do result in an exhibition of facts and figures that require attention of congress that body seldom enacts legislation to remedy the evil the government investigation of the high cost of living may disclose combinations in restraint of trade it if so the law department can prosecute it may show speculation of a kind not prohibited by statutes for which new laws are needed furthermore it may exhibit necessity tor for government control and distribution of foodstuffs for which there is no provision in either constitution or law and cannot be placed there without a vote of the people themselves 0 1 remedial legislation is the most difficult to obtain and for this reason it is unwise for anyone to depend on the governments doing very much to reduce the high cost of living i |