I
TIIE MORNING OREGONIAX, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1919.
NATIONAL IN
QUI
MO PRICES ASKED
Federal Trade Board
Make Investigation.
May
GOVERNMENT WASTE CITED
fublic Extravagance - Blamed
Fcss of Ohio for Inflated
Charges for Goods.
by
"WASHINGTON", Aug. 12. An appro
priation of $500,000 for investigation of
the increased cost of living by the
federal trade commission was asked of
congress today by acting Chairman ;
Murdock of the commission in a letter j
to Speaker Gillett. Funds for the com- j
mission already authorized are insuffi- :
cient to conduct he proposed inquiries,
fhe letter said.
Chairman Murdock, who also is a
member of the sub-committee named
by Attorney-General Palmer to sub
mit recommendations for reducing liv
ing costs, set forth in his letter that
the commission proposed to conduct
further investigations as to the pro
duction, storage and distribution of
foodstuffs with the aim of arriving at
figures on the real cost, wholesale and
retail prices.
So far as known, the president has
not directed any additional investiga
tions, but bills now are pending in the
house for inquiries into the sugar and
shoe industries.
Much Attention Given Costs.
The communication from the trade
commission chairman reached the
house at the close of a day during
which both branches of congress gave
much attention to the cost of living
problems. Appropriation of $175,000
was asked for the secret service by
Secretary Glass, who asked that in
authorizing the appropriation a clause
be inserted to permit the use of the
service operatives in running down
food hoarders and profiteers.
Hoarding and profiteering were the
subject of two measures, presented in
the house. A bill by Representative
Garden, democrat, Ohio, would provide
$10,000 fine or five . years imprison
ment for hoarding, profiteering or
monopolizing ' the production of food
stuffs, f iel or clothing. Representa
tive Goody koontz, republican, "West
Virginia, presented a resolution to di
rect the judiciary committee to frame
legislation to eliminate hoarding and
to reduce the amount of currency in
circulation. Mr. Goodykoonlz also in
troduced a resolution requesting the
secretary of war to sell the surplus
stocks or automobiles and motor
trucks.
Conservation Board Wanted.
Representative Keller, Indiana, re
publican, introduced a bill to authorize
creation of a national board of con
servation, headed by the president and
composed of members of the cabinet,
five senators and five representatives.
which would have power to regulate
wholesale and retail prices of food and
clot hing.
Representative Fess. republican,
Ohio, discussing the high cost of living
in the house, declared that government
wastefulness during the war and at
present in continuing many war-created
agencies largely was responsible
for the existing situation. Senator
Mi-Kellar, democrat, Tennessee, appear
ing before the house agriculture com
mittee, predicted organized opposition
on the part of the packing industry
to any legislation to regulate cold
storage facilities.
The cost of living question will be
brought up again tomorrow on the
floor of the senate with addresses by
Senator McKllar and Reed.
"We at this time shall insist on
change in the wheat standards so as
not to penalize every grower of wheat
Hundreds of millions of bushels of
wheat have been shriveled by extreme
heat this season which under the grad
ing and discount rules may not average
the producer $1.50 per bushel. Author!
tative investigators have found such
wheat to be of the highest milling
value, and it is unthinkable that farm
ers should sustain a loss of from 50
to 75 cents per bushel by reason of the
arbitrary standards that have been es
tablished. This wheat in large measure
will go into the production of the best
patent flours and be sold to the con-
suming public at prices based on No. 1
wheat. The producers are thereby de
frauded and the consumers receive no
benefit.
CHICAGO. Aug. 12. The federal bu
reau of markets on cold storage ware
houses today showed generally a large
increase in stored foods on August 1.
as compared with same date a year
a so. Nearly twice as much butter, '20
per cent more eggs and a considerable
increase in meats were shown to be on
hand.
The majority of retailers today were
selling sugar at 12 and 13 cents
a pound. federal authorities having
agreed on 12 cents as a fair price.
Potatoes fell $1 per 100 pounds at
retail today and peaches and melons
dropped somewhat, while shipments
were increasing, but lower retail prices
were not general.
Scores of letters alleging prof iteer
ing were received today at the federal
district attorney's office, where prep
arations are being made to prosecute
hoarders and profiteers. All such in
formation is turned over to the bureau
of investigation of the department of
justice. The secret agents are expected
to have a report ready for the district
attorney on coid storage warehouses
by Saturday.
That the big producers associations
are operating in restraint of trade was
charged Vy a commission merchant
who declared men in his line actually
were selling at a loss because the pro
ducers were demanding top prices.
SEATTLE. Aug. 12. Acting on a re
quest of Attorney-General Palmer. B.
C. Breck. Seattle, assistant state food
administrator during the war. today
organized a "fair price committee to
investigate prices of commodities in
Kins: county. The committee will de
termine the wholesale pries of goods
and then arrive t what they will con
eider a fair retail price. Both prices
v. ill be published.
PEXVKR. Aug. 12. Since January 1
i :i , i ne retail prices of necessities
Y ave risen, in some instances, as h igh
as per cent, according o com para -
tive price lists submitted today by the
stale department of labor to Governor
Shoup and other officials, who are i
vestipai,ing the high, cost pf Jtving. in
this state.
SACRAMENTO. Aug. 12. A resolu
tion authorizing Jonn Q. Brown, presi
dent of the i-ity commission, to sub
pena merchants and others to obtain
information concerning prices of food
and other necessities in Sacramento
was adopted today by the city comruis
fcion. SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. 12. Governor
Stephens is not contemplating calling
a f-pecial session of the legislature in
response to requests by Attorney -General
U. S. Yebb and the 14 counties'
protective association, who asked spe
cial legislation on the high cost of liv
ing and a probe of the Japanese immi
gration, respectively, the governor an
nounced here today.
SAX FRANCISCO, Aug. 12. Increases
fares charged by the San Francisco-
Oakland Terminal railways (Key route)
system for trans-bay ferry service were
authorized by the state railroad com
mission today: The one-way fare was
advanced from 11 cents to 15 cents and
commutation from $3-30 to $4 a month.
The commission severely criticised the
financial structure of the company.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12. Demands
that changes be made In government
wheat standards under the price guar
antee act, "so as not to penalize every
grower of wheat." were made in a
statement prepared by Chairman
Gronna and representatives of farm or
ganizations and approved today by the
senate agricultural committee.
Producers Declared Defrauded.
Chairman Gronna announced that
committee would be named to present
the demands to Julius ii. Barnes, pres
ident of the United States grain cor
poration, and representatives of the
department of agriculture in the hope
of having modified various govern
ment regulations by which it was
charged "the producers are defrauded
and the consumers receive no benefit.
In the statement the senate commit
tee said it believed grave injustice was i
being done the farmer and might ;
continue to injure not only agricul- :
ture, but the entire nation as well."
The statement continues:
"Julius H. Barnes of the United
States Grain Corporation openly states
that his policy is to resell wheat, curtail
our foreign shipments and 'use the
re-sale of wheat to help control the
domestic market price against further
advances. The result of such policy.
together with the manipulation of .
system of grades and standards, has
been to reduce materially the farmers
income and to deny him access to a
free market where he can secure actual
cost of production.
Farmers Getting 91.15 a Bushel.
"We believe city people should know
that, owing to the manipulation in ad
ministering the grades and standards
together with the damage done by hot
weather to the maturing crops, the
winter wheat producers are receiving
as low as $1.15 per bushel not the
$2.05 which Mr. Barnes gives as a
theoretical average and that this
year's crop may average not over $1.50
per bushel net.
City people should realize that the
effort that is being made by the gov
ernment to restrict all or still further
reduce the price at the farm must in
evitably lead to " denying the farmer
living wages.
SPOKANE IS SHORT OF FOOD
Independent
Storage Firms
Xot Being Done.
Say
Hoarding
SPOKANE. Aug. 12. That there is a
food shortage rather than food hoard
ing in Spokane is the statement made
today by the managers of three large
independent cold storage plants. Facts
and figures on the amount of cold stor
age in the three plants, furnished by
the managers, either are taken directly
from or based on monthly sworn state
ments required of the firms by the fed
eral department of agriculture.
The three concerns have compiled
data from the reports made twice each
month to the government, which have
been turned over to the city and to the
food administrator.
FAMILY EXPENSES SI 31 8
ALLEGED MINIMUM FOR SEVEX
SUBMITTED TO MEDIATOR.
Packers' Employes Introduce Budget
Showing Increase of $100
Since October.
CHICAGO. Aug. 12. Employes of
Chicago packing houses appearing be
fore Federal Judge S. A. Alschuler,
federal mediator, with demands for in
creases in wages of from 20 to 30 cents
an hour on all scales, today introduced
a budget of household expenses pur
porting to show that $1918 was the
minimum amount on which a family of
seven could live for one year. Prices
last October made the total $1518.
New wages demanded by workers
range from 70 cents an hour for com
mon labor to $1.10 for f loormen and
splitters, with a 44-hour week for all
and uniform rates for like operations in
all companies.
Present scales range from 42 H to
83 cents an hour. Preceding the
opening of the hearing1. AttdVney James
G. Condon, representing the packers,
asked that the hearing be continued
until demands of the workmen of the
outlying plants, who were intending to
ask wage increases, be received and
that all shall be settled together.
GUARDS PATROL PLANT
Salem Company ITses Gas to Kight
Flour Moth.
SALEM. Or.. Auk. 12. (Specials-
Armed guards have been patrolling the
plant of the Sa'.em Kings Products
company, since Sunday night and in
many respects the surroundings re
semble the precautions taken by the
United State; government in protecting
munition plants and otler essential in
dustries during the recent war with
Germany.
The alien enemy in the case at issue
is the Mediterranean flour moth, which
during certain months of tle year
must be eliminated from the plant in
order to preserve the manufactured
products.
.To do this a poisonous gas is used
in liberal quantities, the effects of
which ar-e deadly to the human family
as well as to the unwelcome insect.
The guards patrolling the plant are
uder strict orders to preserve the wel
fare of their fellow men and every per
son nearing the establishment is
warned of the impending danger.
W. C. T. U. MEETS IN COOS
County Organization to Make Cam
paign for Fund?.
NORTH BEND, Or., Aug. 12. (Spe
cial) The 11th annual Coos county
convention of the V. C. T. U. opened
at the Presbyterian church in this city
yesterday. Mrs. Mary B. Campbell of
Myrtle Point, county chairman; Mrs.
Mattie Sleeth of Portland, state presi
dent, and a number of dele
gate . from, .various, .sections of the
county attended. Following a morn
ing and afternoon business session a
programme of music by local talent
anq reafHrtgs by Mrs. Sleeth were given
at the church in the evening.
The session which closed today rec
ommended that a county campaign be
made for funds for the organization.
MjTtle Point was chosen for the 1920
convention.
Oats Yield 100 Bushels an Acre.
OREGON" CITY. Or.. Aug. 12. (Spe
cial.) Among those having bumper
crops in wheat and oats this year are
Ellis Brown of New Era. whose 18 acres
of oats yielded $100 bushels an acre,
and his father. George Brown, the po
tato king of Clackamas county, whose
farm adjoins that of his son. harvested
300 bushels of wheat. The potato crop
oll be light.
ARGUMENTS
IN FORD LIBEL CASE
Counsel for Tribune Stresses
Ignorance of Plaintiff.
ANARCHIST, SAYS LAWYER
Pitiful Showine on Stand Cited to I
Prove Charges Chicago Paper
Styled "Pro-German."
MOUNT CLEMENS. Mich., Aug. 12.
The evidence and the final arguments
in Henrv Ford's $1,000,000 libel suit
aeainst the Chicago Daily Tribune.
are all in. The last word was spoken
by Alfred Lucking, senior counsel for
the plaintiff, today. Tomorrow Judge
Tucker will formulate his instructions,
and Thursday he will deliver them to
the jury. The final appeal on behalf
of the defendants was by Attorney Kl-
liott j. Stevenson, preceding Mr. Luck
ing.
The issue was squarely joined, Mr.
Stevenson contending that Mr. Ford
was an anarchist in June. 191S, when
the Tribune so characterized him. and
Mr. Lucking asserting that there was
no man in the United States farther-
removed from anarchy.
Mr. Stevenson read statement after
statement from the Ford peace propa
ganda and similar ones from the writ
ings of Emma Goldman, and declared
that the jury could not tell which was
Goldman and which was Ford.
Appeal to Paasion Alleged.
Mr. Lucking characterized the ad
dress of Mr. Stevenson a3 a powerful
appeal to the passions and prejudices
of the jury.
"This suit is being "watched all over
this continent. . perhaps beyond," said
Lucking, "and it -calls for consideration
at your hands from which every item
of prejudice and every element of the
extraneous has been eliminated.
"This you must bear in mind when
you consider damages," said Mr. Luck
ing. The lawyer drew a distinction be
tween "president and "government.
When President w iison asks con
gress for legislation he is not the gov
ernment; when congress passes that
legislation and it becomes law, and the
president puts it into execution, he
government," said the advocate. He
pointed out that in arguing against in-
creasing the national guard in 1916 Mr.
Ford was opposing President Wilson,
but not the government.
The Ford lawyer took up the ques
tion of the "right of fair comment,"
claimed by the Tribune in defense of
the editorial, and asserted that the
right existed with regard to comment
on views but not comment on indi
viduals.
Tribune Called Pro-German.
l ne speaker insisted that it was
the "pro-Germanism" of the Tribune
which led it to advocate intervention
in Mexico and that the attack on Mr.
Ford was due to a malicious Resent
ment of his opposition. He emphasized
that while the newspaper paid its em
ployes while they were with the na
tional guard on the border it did not
do so in the war against Germany.
"The Tribune was not interested in
the great war; it opposed It to the
last." said Mr. Lucking.
Mr. Stevenson, for the Tribune, took
up the editorial on which the suit is
based and read one of the alleged libels.
"A man so ignorant of the fundamen
tals of government as Henry Ford.'
"Well." commented the lawyer, "what
did he tell us on the stand? He said
he did not know what the fundamentals;
were and didn't care. And they put
Ford employes on the stand to prove
that he could read and write. I was
never so shocked in my life."
Mr. Stevenson recounted how Mr.
Ford repeatedly evaded reading while
on the witness stand and finally said
he was willing the impression should
go out that he co,uld not read.
. Pitiful Ignorance Alleged.
The Tribune lawyer said that incident
after Incident occurred while the plain
tiff was on the stand to prove the
charge of ignorance.
"It was pitiful." continued Mr. Stev
enson, "but they had demanded proof.
and I had to go on until Judge Tucker
himself said: 'Mr. Stevenson, you have
gone far enough along this line. Gen
tleman, mat pnase or the proof was
completed right there."
Mr. Stevenson said he wondered if
Mr. Ford would have still opposed send
ing soldiers to the Mexican border if
he had been in Jesse Deemer's place
ana Kidnaped into Mexico.
"And now comes Mr. Ford and says
that his reputation has been ruined,
his life blasted by this editorial," went
on Mr. Stevenson.
"Great heavens! Gentlemen! Blasted!
i.uiiifjj: w ny. nis reputation was so
ruined that Michigan, two months after
the editorial, gave him the primary
vote for president! President! Think
of it. some of you jurymen may have
voted for him. 1 don't know; but if
you did. may God forgive you."
SHOES TO DROP SOME DAY
Boston Grand Jury Hears Prices
Will Tumble, but Xot When.
BOSTON, Aug. 12. Predictions of
decided drop in the- price of shoes were
made by leather dealers and shoe man
ufacturers, who testified today at the
grand jury investigation of the high
cost of living being conducted by Dis
trict Attorney Joseph c Pelletier.
The opinion, however, was that the
decline might not come for another
year.
LEAGUE POSITION FILLED
Sir Herbert Ames of Canada Finan
cial Director at Geneva
MONTREAL. Aug. 12. Sir Herbert
Ames, who was chairman of the execu
tive board of the Canadian patriotic
fund, has accepted the position of
financial director of the permanent
secretariat of the league of nations at
Geneva.
Announcement of his acceptance was
made here today.
PERSHING TO VISIT ITALY
General Expected to Leave for Amor-
' ica in September.
PARIS, Aug. 12. General John J.
Pershing, after his visit to Belgium,
will visrt the Italian battlefields.
Present plans call for his departure
from here for Rome next Saturday,
August 16. General Pershing expects
to leav for the United States the first
week in September.
SOLDIER'S RELEASE LIKELY
Campaign
Boy
in Behalf of Montesano
Promises to Win.
HOQUIAM, Wash., Aug. 12. (Spe
cial.) That the campaign waged by
Senator Alex Poison, for an- lnvestigi'
TO
ture of the
papers also
LUDENDORFF'S BOOK
IS EAGERLY AWAITED
Intimate Knowledge of Kai
ser's Part in War, and
Estimate of Allies .
Expected to Be
Set Out.
(Copyright, lfin, by the Press Publiih-
'inK Co. (the New York World.)
(Special Cable Dispatch to the World.)
LONDON July 22. The approach
ins; publication of Gen. Ludendorffa
book on the great war, throughout
tion of the case of Lonnie Edwards of
Montesano, now serving a sentence of
10 years at Fort Leavenworth for tak
ing 62 bottles of wine from a barn in
Belgium, received prompt attention by
the war department is shown by the
following telegram received yesterday
by Mr. Poison from Congressman Al
bert Johnson:
"Every reason to believe Lonnie Ed
wards will have sentence canceled, be
restored to duties and be honorably dis
charged."
Mr. Poison, whose efforte to have the
court-martial sentence set aside were
indorsed by the commercial bodies of
Aberdeen and Hoquiam. telegraphed
Mr. 'Johnson last night as follows:
"Keep the good work up until every
war boy who is in prison lor like of
fense ie liberated with an honorable
discharge in his own free country."
The Edwards case attracted atten
tion because the severe sentence was
passed after the signing of the armis
Your Speech to the
Wool Club
Suppose yon are asked to make an address to the
Tide-Water Association or to the annual banquet of
the Lapidary Employers' Board.
It is a matter of great moment; you write and rewrite
your remarks and rehearse all the details. It may even
entail a new dress coat and the finishing touches of a
professional coach.
And yet at mot, you will actually talk to no more
than two thousand people directly and perhaps three
times that number through reprints in the trade press.
Are you equally careful of your speech to millions
in the advertising columns?
Do yoa employ the best brains without stint to
prepare your messages?
These messages of yours do not go to hundreds at
a banquet-table; they go to millions in the homes, and
when your chance comes to speak to a whole nation,
if it be. only for two minutes, you ought to have the
best speech-maker in the nation as your mentor.
When yoa advertise nationally, employ experts to pre
pare your speech your message your advertisement.
Publishers ere in a position to appreciate the best
work of the leading agencies.
Advertising tftee in the Butterici pubScstims
is fir sal by accredited advertising agenda.
Butterick Publisher
The Delineator
Everybody Magazine
Wednesday, Sept.
IS THE DATE AVHEN PUBLICATION WILL BEGIN IN
The Oregonian
OF
GENERAL LUDENDORFF'S
CLOSE-UP HISTORY
OF
GERMAN '
DOMINATE
It will be published in daily instalments.
year. In this territory it will
will publish it:
NEW YORK WORLD
CHICAGO DAILY NEWS
TORONTO STAR
ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH
PITTSBURGH GAZETTE TIMES
LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL
(First Page Cablegram to New York
the main part of which he was the
dominating German military figure.
is arousing tremendous interest hore.
For he alone can throw authorita
tive light on many obscure episodes
of the highest importance in judging
not only of the German military sys
tem at work, but of those of the
different allied countries to which
he was opposed.
Nobody can speak with more inti
mate knowledge of the real part
played by the former kaiser both in
triumph and adversity and on the
relations between the German civil
and military power in times of
crisis, for Ludendorff virtually be
tice. Edwards' war record was credit
able and he bore an excellent reputa
tion in Montesano.
DEPORT
ALIENS,
IS PLEA
Hoquiam Veterans to Select Site for
Legion Building.
HOQUIAM. Wash., Aug. 12. (Spe
cial.) Hoquiam post No. 16 of the
American Legion last night unanimous
ly adopted a resolution calling upon
the congressional delegation from this
state to support a measure calling for
the immediate deportation of all aliens
who relinquished their first papers in
order to evade the draft law. The
resolution also asks that service men
be given preference to positions over
this class of foreign slackers.
The sugirestion of N. J. Flagen. prin
THE
EFFORT
THE WORLD
It will be the greatest newspaper fea-
appear only in The Oregonian
BOSTON POST
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
LOS ANGELES EXAMINER
SEATTLE STAR
World Wednesday, July 23:)
came dictator in the most crucial
period of his country's fortunes. His
estimate of the capabilities of the
allied military leaders as viewed
from the enemy's experience of their
work and achievements should be
highly instructive when allowance
is made for the critical hostility of
their most formidable antagonist.
Above all. Gen. Ludendorff's book
is expected to provoke a storm of
controversy on many points: con
troversy which must be fruitful in
startling revelations. In short.
Ludendorff is in a position to write
the book of the war. and. it is
understood, he has done so.
cipal owner of the Grays Harbor mill,
to erect by public subscription a $50,000
home for the American Legion, the
building to 'be provided with stores to
insure revenue for upkeep, was re
Shall Spoons Be Placed
on the Right or
Left Side?
of the plate shall knives be turned in or out shall
the salad fork be placed above the plate or at the left
side?
All these and any other questions will be answered
this week in the Silverware Shop by Miss Wilkinson of
the 1847 Rogers Bros, silverware organization, an au
thority on the correct use of silverware.
She will also be glad to tell you how to keep silver
bright and shining with the least amount of work.
1847 Rogers Bros, silver plate is guaranteed for 70
years' service. We are principal agents.
Meier & Frank's: Silverware Shop, Main Floor.
8
I
MEIER & FRANK COMPANY
Require the Services of
Five Additional Experienced
Millinery Makers
Best salary paid to competent makers
Apply at once to
Miss Weizle, Fourth, Floor-
'A
3
These
ceived with approval by the service
men. A committee was appointed to
confer with a citizens' committee ap
pointed by Mayor Philbrick to decide
upon a suitable site.
2