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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 1919)
THE MORNING OREGOXIAX, FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1919. SUPPLIES SEIZED If WAR ON PRICES Attorney-General to Proceed Against All Profiteers. COLD STORAGE PROBLEM UP food-Control Amendment 'Will Be Before House Today Absent Members Called In. WASHINGTON, Aug- 14- Indications of tte real punch behind the govern ment's campaign to reduce the high ctst of living were given today in un mistakable fashion in many cities. While Attorney-General Palmer was telling the senate agriculture commit tee that he intended to prosecute every dealer guilty of selling at higher prices than those listed by the fair price com mittee of each county, word came from Chicago, St. Louis and Birmingham of seizures of great quantities of food stuffs by federal officials who re cently were instructed to proceed un der the food control act to stop hoard ing. In Chicago 1282 tubs of butter, worth $50,000, was seized; in St. Louis, 284,180 pounds of coffee, which has been showing rapid advances in price, feugarand in Birmingham 100 barrels of sugar. Drops in prices followed. PtIiod, Kfne Wanted. Mr. Palmer told the senate commit tee that he believed the greatest ma jority of farmers and food dealers were not profiteering, but that the suggested amendment to the food control act ex tending it to clothing and providing a criminal penalty of $5000 fine or two years imprisonment, or both, was necessary to make effective the cam paign against those who are dishonest ly gouging the public There was a division of opinion among the senators as to the advisability of the legisla tion, several declaring that the amend xnent gave the department of justice too drastic powers over commerce, while others questioned the constitu tionality of extending the life of the food control act beyond the declara tion of peace as has been suggested. "Given this penalty, we can break the backbone of profiteering in 60 days," Mr. Palmer retorted crisply, "and then you won't have to worry about con stitutionality." Food Control Up Today. The house agriculture committee pro ceeded with cold?storage legislation to day and announced that tomorrow the amendment to the food-control act would be taken up, with Assistant Attorney-General Ames discussing the need for it to reduce prices. Mayors of 50 New Jersey cities made arrange ments to appear before the committee Monday to demand that something ef fective be done to mitigate the hard ships under which the man of average income is suffering. Absent members of the house were ordered tonight to return to Washing ton at once, when it became apparent that the ariculture committee would report on the new legislation this week. While the more drastic method of prosecutions will be used by the de partment of justice to punish and stop flagrant cases of profiteering, it was made clear today that the still effective licensing provisions of the food-control act would be invoked to reach dealers agninst whom no indictment could be found in federal courts. Secretary Houston wrote that the funds requested would be used in fur nishing the people of the country in formation regarding the stocks of food products held in storage and retail food prices. This information would be dis seminated through newspapers and otherwise and would be published every day or two. Portland to Have Organization. Organizations would be established y i department in 20 large cities to gm.ther and make this information available, these organizations supple menting those now maintained. The cities named include Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles. San Francisco, Minne apolis, Washington. Seattle, Kansas City and Portland. Or. CHICAGO. Aug. li. With the seizure today of 1292 tubs of butter. 86.330 pounds, valued at $30.000 in the gov ernment's first Chicago drive to com bat the cost of living prices of all commodities dealt in on the board of trade and foodstuffs handled ni the produce market took exciting tumbles. The main reason advanced foj; the collapse in values of grains and pro visions was the rapid development of the government measures to decrease tne cost of food and ether prime essen tials. The chief results on the board of trade at the finish of the day's trad ing, compared with 24 hours before, were mc to 834c a bushel setback for corn: 23c to 3Hc decline in oats and a drop of 90c to J3.35 in provisions, rrodocc TaWea Drop. There was a decline of several com modities in the produce market. A further decline of 25 cents a bushel in the cheapest grades of early Ohio po tatoes, a 25-cent drop in the price of cabbage, and a falling eff in the price of highest grade yellow onions, oc curred in the vegetable market. Prices cf green corn, peaches, lemons and watermelons also were on the decline. The seizure of the butter was made by federal deputy marshals and was not a part of the district attorney's drive on hoarders and profiteers. The butter was alleged to have been defi cient in butterfat and to contain a sur plus of water. Nearly half of the but ter had been bought by C. H. Weaver & Co.. commission merchants. The climax shaking the confidence of hold ers of crrain and provisions came when seizures of food staples were made. Numerous other influences had com bined to make the final crash more emphatic. The initial disturbance had its origin in the hog market. Arrivals of hogs here from the country had been suddenlv more than trebled and bog quotations had dropped in some instances as much as J1.50 a hundred weight since yesterday. BIRMINGHAM. Ala.. Aug. 14. Under - . i . .-. . : -. l i . . . v. v. oraers -1 . ' i n . . ... . . ........ v,i Uuk,. Cr.ited States marshals today seized 100 barrels of sugar in the warehouse of the Heber Candy company here. BILLINGS. Mont.. Aug. 14. A infor mation charging a conspiracy to fix orices of . foodstuffs and discrimination against retailers who failed to beed such fixed prices was iwea in tne diS' trict court here today by County At ' torney K. E. Collins against the Keil Grocery company, the Ryan Grocery company and Stone-Ordean-Wells, local wholesalers. The information is signed by Atorney-General S. C. Ford. The information is the outgrowth of an investigation made here by the attorney-general of charges of profiteer ing on the part of an organization of wholesalers who refused to sell to a local department store, which under sold other retail grocers of this city. WASHINGTON. Aug. 14. Complete investigation of the coal industry be fore any attempt at federal control or regulation in the campaign against high costs of living was urged in resolutions adopted today by the ex ecutive committee of the American Wholesale Coal assocition. MEXICANS GET WARNING PROTECTION FOR AMERICANS IS INSISTED OX. Change of Attitude Threatened by V. S. Government; Carranza Gives No Satisfaction. WASHINGTON. Aug. 14. Warning that there would be a radical change in the policy of the American govern ment regarding Mexico if the Carranza government continued to fail to protect Americans in that country was con tained in a note sent to the Mexican foreign office July 22. Notification of a possible change of policy wae made by the American em bassy at Mexico City on instructions from the state department, which de termined upon this course as a result of the long series of murders and out rages of Americans in Mexico culmi nating in the murder of Peter Catron in San Luis Potosi last month. That the note had been dispatched was disclosed today by the state de partment, together with the informa tion that in its reply the Mexican gov ernment had said that everything pos sible already was being done to protect foreigners. There was- a suggestion that unless foreigners concentrated in populous places it would be impossible to afford them the protection demanded. Surprise was displayed in the reply of the Mexican government at what is styled the "menace," contained in the American note. It was suggested that it appeared strange that such demands for protection should be given loieign ers in sparsely settled districts when crimes often go undetected in the "most populous cities of the most cul tured countries," and "where acts of violence are often committed" without the respective governments thereby be coming the object of severe observations. PEORIA SITUATION QUIET Arbitration Committee Busy, and 100 0 Troops on Scene. PEORIA, 111., Aug. 14. Alternate meetings of Brigadier-General Frank S. Dickson, other state militia officers and Mayor E. N. Woodruff of Peoria, acting as a self-appointed arbitration committee with representatives of the approximately 1100 striking employes of the Keystone Steel & Wire company of South Barton ville. five miles from here, and executives of the concern late today resulted in an agreement for a joint conference tomorrow morn ing. That, with the removal from the plant area of 125 strike breakers imported from Chicago and the presence in Peoria under arms of approximately 1000 members of the 7th regiment of Illinois reserve infantry, was expected to end rioting at the plant that last night resulted in the shooting of five persons, one of them a woman. The bone of contention is recognition of the employes union. LAWYERS ALSO WANT LIFT Organization Proposes Fees in Line With Cost of Living. MED FORD, Or., Aug. 14. (Special.) Lawyers of Jackson county have formed the Jackson County Bar asso ciation, with State Senator C. M. Thomas as president; E. D. Briggs of Ashland, vice-president; Gus Newbury of Medford, second vice-president; Miss Nellie Dickey of Ashland, third vice president, and Glenn Taylor, local jus tice of the peace, secretary and treas urer. The immediate business of the new organization will be to standardize and lift lawyers' fees so as to make them conform with the cost of living. Pres ident Thomas announced today that he would soon appoint a committee to de cide upon a minimum fee scheduled which he believes will be approved by both the profession and the public AIR STATION AUTHORIZED Million-Dollar Headquarters for Coast to Rise at Presidio. SAX FRAXCISCO, Aug, 14. The im mediate construction of the buildings which will comprise an aerial coast defense station, located at San Fran cisco Presidio, was authorized in in structions from Washington received here today by Colonel N. M. Arnold, western department air service officer. The buildings, which will be of permanent character, will cost approxi mately $1,000,000. The station will be built to care for both land and water airplanes. One aero squadron, it was aid, will be stationed permanently at the station, which will be the first of its kind on the Pacific coast. I .MUM .1 ll.liill .Mini nil II I ll f r-- vyy je 1 GLOBE SAMPLE SHOP 264 ALDER STREET, Near Third Opposite Gill's Book Store CLOSING vLJ 11 o r-::---z: mm ALL SUMMER GARMENTS Summer Suits, Summer Coats, Dolmans, Capes and Sport Skirts Hundreds of Garments to Be Sacrificed at Less than Cost Broken Sizes jySi r'' " "I During this closing-out sale the Globe Sample Shop, one of the most reliable stores in the city, will exchange all sale purchases and your money back if you are not satisfied within three days of purchase. Do Not Miss This Important Sale! Suits .... Dresses. ... Coats .... Waists .... Silk Dresses . Jersey Dresses Jersey Coats . Dolmans'. . . Sweaters . . . . $8.95 . $6.95 . $6.95 . $3.95 . $6.95 . $8.95 . $10.95 . $6.95 . $3.95 $23.95 Sample Suits . . Fall Sample Coats $18.95 Sample Tricotine Dresses $18.95 i h i Ws-4 PATRONS APPROVE RISE PETITION FOR TO SERVICE 'ACIFIC FLEET IS DIVIDED Smaller TTnits Sent to Ports Sear Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES. Cal.. Aug. 14. The Pacific fleet, commanded by Admiral Hugh Rodman, saw a decrease of ac tivity today, when it was divided into smaller units and sent to nearby ports. The flapship New Mexico and numer ous other smaller vessels remained in the harbor here. The admiral issued orders today for the fleet to reassemble off Santa Monica Monday for its trip to Santa Barbara. Phone your want ads to The Oregro- nian. Main id.u. A ::. CASTOR I A For Infants and Children In Use For Over 30 Years Always bears the Signature of A I) V A XCE SENT COMMISSION. Light Company Asks for Increase in Rates and Patrons Volun tarily Give Consent. SALEM, Or., Aug. 14. (Special.) A petition unique in the annals of the Oregon public service commission has been received from Amity, Or., in which all but two patrons of the Amity Light & Power company have given consent to any increase in the present rates that the commission may deem just and equitable to both consumers and the company. J. A. Rube 1. owner and manager of ths plant, recently informed his patrons that it would be necessary for him to advance rates or suspend operations. for the reason that the present expense of conducting his business far ex ceeded his revenue. Rather than face discontinuance of the service, the con sumers rallied to the relief of the com pany and sent in a petition consenting to an advance. Members of the commission now have the petition of Mr. Rubel asking for a lift in rates and the petition of the con sumers consenting to the increase be- fon them and a hearing probably will be set within the next few days. The petition received from the Amity consumers is so different from those usually received from cities where ad vances in rates are proposed that it is considered a curiosity by members of the commission. THREE MEDIATORS WANTED Salem Employers Membership on Board Is Announced. SALEM, Or., Aug. 14. (Special.) F. O. Deckebach, W, G. Allen and Paul B. Wallace have been selected as the three members representing the employers on the local labor mediation board, now in process of organization. Members to represent the employes have not yet been announced. The mediation board will have six members. The methods of administra tion have not yet been mad-e public. The board plans to adjust all differ ences between employers and employes. Secretary McCroskie of the commercial club believe Salem is the first city in the northwest to Organize a board of this kind. Freight Cars Leave Track. ALBANY, Or.. Aug. 14. (Special.) A wreck occurred this morning on the Corvallis & Eastern road one mile east of Eddyville, freight train No. 264 be ing held when several cars left the track. Trains from both directions were held up and passengers had to change trains at the scene of the wreck. OREGON . SOCIETY MEETS HORTICULTURISTS SEE BRIGHT FUTURE EOR INDUSTRY. Delegates at Astoria to Visit Can neries and Port Terminals and Go to Seaside. ASTORIA. Or., Aug. 14. (Special.) The 34th annual convention of the Ore gon State Horticultural society con vened here today with delegates pres ent from all sections of the state. The sessions will continue three days. Ad ditional delegates are expected to morrow. This afternoon's session was devoted principally to organization and prepar ing for the business sessions to begin tomorrow morning. An addrees of wel come was delivered by Mayor Bremner. J. O. Holt, vice-president of the organ ization, responded. B. S. Worsley, pres ident of the society, delivered his an nual address, showing the advancement the state made in horticultural lines the past year. He said that as a result of its climatic conditions and the rich ness and adaptability of its soils Ore gon is destined to be the leading horti cultural state of the union. No session was held tonight. To morrow morning papers will be pre sented dealing with the cranberry in dustry. Officers for the ensuing year will be elected and the next convention city selected. Eugene is one of the leading aspirants for the honor. The delegates, as guests of the chamber of commerce, will visit the canneries, port terminals and other points of interest and will go to Seaside, where a night session will be held. The convention will close Saturday afternoon. RETURN OF ROADS URGED Washinton Bankers Strongly Oppose Government Control. TACOMA, Wash.. Aug. 14. (Special.) The Washington Bankers associa tion, in session at Rainier National park, condemns government control of the railroads specifically and govern ment ownership generally in a series of resolutions adopted last night. The bankers oppose such ownership as 'ex primental. un-Amorican and destruc tive of initiative and enterprise. The best solution of the railroad problem is to turn the lines back to private ownership, they say. The bankers went on record as favor ing every movement to improve th-e condition of the people generally, sub ject only to the limitation thut such efforts be in accordance with Amer ican principles and traditions. WAR OBJECTORS PROBE OF? Investigation of Complaint Begun at San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. 14. Investi gation of complaints regardins the treatment of conscientious objectors at the United States disciplinary barracks on Alcatraz island here was begun to day. Colonel K. 1 Phyllips. inspector of the western department of the army, today is enndue: ing the ingu i ry. Of the Great Pacific Northwest Are MadeEspecially Attractive This Summer by the Reduced Excursion Fares Of f ered by the ' United States Railroad Administration Down Where the COOL SEA BREEZES' BLOW Are the Popular Clatsop Beaches and North Beach Near the mouth of the Columbia River. Tillamook Beaches A few miles farther south on the Oregon Coast. and Week-End Fare Newport Ornnm'i Ideal Family Rmort All i:a.llT Reached by Rail. Excellent hotel accommodations, cot tagres, tents and all necessary equipment to make a vaca tion outing delightful. rP AMONG THE CRAGS IS Grater Lake The frreat nature wonder of the world. A beautiful mountain sapphire in. the throat of a' volcano near ly a mile and a half high. Rail to Medford. Or, thence auto stage. Oregon Caves Weird and Wonderful Rati to Grant Thence Auto $te. Mt. Rainier The nation's mightiest ice-crowned monarch, nearly three miles high. Hail to Ashford, via Tacoma, thence auto stage. Mount Hood Mount Adams Deaehntea River W aJIowa Lake Columbia River (orjce All Glorious Soramfr HaanU. Seaaon Kares ITevail. Inquire of Railroad Aarenta, Plan your vacation to visit one or more of them, where the days are cheerful and the nights bring refreshing sleep. t Old Oponn is a summer-time delight Its UiU VLca11 invigorating salt-laden air and the splash of its surf temper your nerves, redden your blood, whet your appetite, restore your wasted energy, bring new vim and health. t Up in the Mountains Yoa get an equally beneficial phase of recreation. You leave behind the pell-mell and sordid things of daily business life. The scenery is sublime and inspiring. Nature's great plan sur rounds and charma and renews you. You can "hike," camp out, climb lofty peaks, fish numberless trouty streams and lakes, ride horse back, lounge in your hammock, rest, sleep and forget all your cares. Meanwhile you are breathing the purest air, drinking sparkling crystal waters, eating wholesome food and being made all over new. Can You Resist Such a Challenge! Read all about them in the new and beautifully illustrated folder booklet now being published by the United States Railroad Adminis tration, giving information about the popular beach and mountain resorts of the Northwest. It gives summer excursion fares and hotel rates. Ask your nearest railroad agent, or inquire at the Consolidated City Ticket Office, Third and Washington Streets, Portland, Oregon. Phone Main 3530. The Finest All-Purpose Piano Euphona Home-Electric Because it fills every possible need, we most earnestly and enthusiastically recommend that you make no selection of your Piano until you have heard and tested the Euphona Home-Electric. 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