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VOI-.. IjVIII. NO. 18,427
Entered at Portland Oregon)
Potoffire a Second-CI asn Matter.
PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1919.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
WOMEN START DRIVE
AGAINST HIGH PRICES
U.S.T0GDWT1NUE
SUGAR REGULATION
WORLD IS DECLARED
IN NO DANGER TODAY
PORTLAND AVIATOR TO
FLY AROUND WORLD
MINERS' WAGE LIFT
HELD LIBERAL ONE
MERCURY RISES AND
PORTLAND HAS RAIN
SMITE PROFITEER,
SAYS MR. PHLWIER
:
POLICY IS PUZZLE
4,000,000 ARE EXLISTED
THRIFT CAMPAIGN.
IX
PROPHECY OF EXD BRANDED
3IERELY AS OLD STORY.
G. 31. GORDEN PLAN'S START
. FROM SAX FRAXCISCO.
WEATHER CHIEF SAYS SILVER
THAW IS HARDLY PROBABLE.
WILSON
S RAlLROftD
3
1
. i
5
'
-J
-.1
' i
- 1
Everybody Wonders What
Chief Will Do.
SURRENDER JAN. 1 DOUBTED
Veto of Bill if Passed Is De
clared Likely.
LABOR INTERESTS FACTOR
Belief in Some Quarters Is That
Government Control of Roads
Will Continue for Time.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU.
"Washington. Dec. 1C. Votes sufficient
to insure the passage of the railroad
bill within the next few days' have
been rounded up. Senator Watson of
Indiana reported this afternoon, but
there is growing curiosity as to what
the White House is going to do with
the railroads and railroad legislation.
There are 54 votes sure, and maybe
more, favorable to the bill. Senator
Watson said, and he was confident
that the president would sign what
ever bill is finally agreed upon by the
two houses of congress, but this is at
variance with opinions most general
ly heard around the capitol.
"Veto Declared lonNtl!e.
Whatever bill is passed is certain
to carry provisions not entirely satis
factory to labor, and there is a strong
clement in the leadership of Mr. Wil
son's party which is hoping that he
will veto the measure if it fails to
square exactly with the desires of the
brotherhoods. The hope of these lead
ers is so strong that they already are
predicting that be will veto it.
Several senators on the republican
eide would like to have White House
co-operation in framing "the measure
and have been trying to obtain some
idea of the president's wishes in ad
vance of his special message, now
delayed to the point where it can be
of littlo value because the senate is
Hearing the end of consideration of!
the bill in committee of the whole. !
The drawback is that no one can
tee the president. An effort was
made today to get some information
from the railroad administration,
which was presumed to be advising
Mr. Wilson in the preparation of his
message, but utter, failure to estab
lish communication was reported.
Good John Endanjecred.
The extension of government con
trol under one pretext or another,
of course, means an extension of
numerous good jobs for men who
cannot expect to remain on the pay
rolls of the railroads when they pass
back to the private owners. As is
well known, railroad corporations do
not pay fancy salaries to men who
are without railroad experience and
these job holders know it. They may
not have had railroad experience but
they have political pull and their
pull just now is backward in an ef
fort to prevent the dissolution of
government control and consequent
loss of their satisfactory incomes.
It was said today that the presi
dent's message will come tomorrow,
but yesterday's reports had it coming
today, so there is no way of knowing
when it will reach congress; but it is
asserted as almost positive that he
will exercise his war powers and re
tain control of the roads indefinitely.
Treaty Conference Go On.
Notwithstanding President Wilson's
dictum that there is to be no move
from the democratic side to bring the
peace treaty forward again, confer
ences continued between democratic
senators today to effect a compromise.
If the president's letter had any ef
fect, it was to make some of the
democratic leaders more determined
than before. Up to the time he issued
his statement, their sole purpose was
to get the treaty ratified. Now they
are working as angry men with an
added purpose, which is to show that
they feel that their obligation to him
was discharged when they went
through with the votes that knocked
out the Lodge resolution on Novem
ber 19.
For the first time since the treaty
debates began months ago; senators
prominent on the democratic side are
willing to speak in disapproval of
their leader's position. A sensation
was created, however, by the publica
tion today of an unauthorized inter
view from Senator Walsh of Montana,
who is not at all in accord with Mr.
Wilson's position as expressed in the
statement. Senator Walsh discussed
the president's statement frankly yes
terday and said much that everybody
understood was not for publication.
Democrats Invariably Rage.
A part of the interview, which was
rot for publication, appeared on the
first pag3 of the Washington Post
today as follows:
"The democratic senators are in
wardly seething over the position
taken by the president. They are all
wondering whether the statement was
really written by the president or by
some cheao politician assuming to
epeak the president's mind."
Some who talked with Senator
Walsh yesterday verified the lan
guage of this interview, but said they
did not repeat it because it was un
derstood at the time to be confiden
tly. He did give an interview for
.(Concluded on Page 2, Column 3.j
Account of Daily Expendi lures to
Be Kept and Unnecessary
Items Eliminated.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16. An army
of 4,000,000 women, representing ten
national organizations, has been or
ganized by the savings division of the
treasury department to enter the
fight against the high cost of living.
Beginning January 1 and extending
to April 1, a great thrift campaign
will be conducted in an effort to in
duce women to keep strict accounts
of their daily expenditures in order
by study of them to eliminate un
necessary items.
According to the plan, amounts
saved by this means would be invest
ed in government Securities.
Women's organizations which have
been enlisted in the campaign include
the Association of College Alumnae,
Daughters of the American Revolu
tion, General Federation of Women's
clubs, National Catholic War council.
National Congress of Mothers and
Parent-Teacher associations, Nation
al Council of Jewish Women, National
Federation of Business and Profes
sional Women's clubs. National
League for Women's Service, wom
en's department of the Rational Civic
Federation and the Y. W. C. A.
LEAGUE SUPPORTER WINS
Democrat Elected Representative
in Xorth Carolina.
CHARLOTTE, N. G, Dec. 16. In a
special election in which the league
of nations was one of the leading
issues, voters of the Ninth North
Carolina congressional district today
chose Clyde Hoe;', democrat, and sup
porter of the league, over John M.
Morehead, republican, and opponent
of the league, to fill the vacancy
caused by appointment of Represen
tative Webb to a federal judgeship.
Practically co lplete returns indi
cated a majority for the democratic
nominee of from 1500 to 2000. More
head conceded his defeat by 1300 to
1400 votes.
Two years ago Webb, running on
the democratic ticket, received a
majority of 4152 over his republican
opponent.
DOUGLAS TURKEYS HIGH
Market Expected to Be Stronger
Than at Thanksgiving.
ROSEBURG, Or., Dec. 16. (Special.)
The turkey market opened here to
day and from early indications it
would appear that it will be much
stronger than during the Thanksglv-
ng season. On account of weather
conditions the birds failed to fatten in
time for the November holiday, and
many of the turkey raisers of Doug
las county have held their turkeys
for the Christmas market.
Seattle firms are competing with
local merchants for the supply in
Douglas county and consequently tho
raisers are expecting good prices.
Several cases of birds have been sent
out by express and a carload will
probably leave Roseburg tomorrow,
with others to follow in the week.
LIQUOR STORAGE PLAN UP
Kentucky Distillers May Ship
Stocks to Cuban Warehouses.
LOUISVILLE. Ky, Dec. 16. A way
out apparently has been, found for
distillers caught with large stocks of
liquor on hand by the supreme court's
decision holding war-time prohibition
constitutional.
A plan was presented to distillers
here today by representatives of
steamship lines operating out of
Charleston, Brunswick, Jacksonville,
Savannah and Wilmington to Cuba,
South America and Europe. It con
templates shipment of liquor stocks
in Kentucky, estimated at 39,000,000
gallons, largely to Cuban ports for
storage and subsequent re-sale in
Cuba or shipment to other foreign
countries.
DESERTERS BLAME GIRLS
Xuvy Men Say "They Insisted on
Making Love to Us."
NEW YORK. Dec. 16. Of 1500 al
leged deserters courtmartialed at the
New York navy yard since the Unrled
States entered the war, 25 attributed
their overstayed leaves to girls who
"insisted on making love to them."
it became known today.
Several explained that their over
stayed leaves were due to their wid
owed mothers' need of their assist
ance. One bluejacket said his ship
sailed while he had "gone across the
street to purchase tobacco" and that
he had vainly tried to overtake the
ship with a tug he hired for the occa
sion. DRASTIC REDUCTION MADE
Committee Cuts Millions Off Ap
propriations Estimate.
WASHINGTON, D. C. Urgency de
ficiency appropriation estimates ifor
the public health service and em
ployes' compensation commission were
reduced from 7,289,500 to t3.110.000
by the house appropriations commit
tee, which recommended today $1,100,
000 for a compensation fund and
$2,000,000 to care for war risk insur
ance patients.
The sundry civil bill in July car
ried $4,000,000 for war risk needs, but
an additional $2,000,000 is needed, the
committee report said-, to sustain the
service until the regular deficiency
i appropriation bill is passed.
House Passes Equaliza
tion Board Bill.
SENATE ALREADY HAS ACTED
Amendments Retaining War-
Time Powers Approved.
EMBARGO TALK DECRIED
Debate in House Largely Criticism
of President for Failure to
Purchase Cuban Crop.
WASHINGTON. Dec 16. By a vote
of 256 to 34, the house late today
passed the senate bill continuing the
sugar equalization board through
1920. Amendments retaining in forci
the war-time powers of the govern
ment for controlling prices and move
ments of sugar were approved, ne
cessitating the sending of the meas
ure to conference committee of the
two houses.
While the only disputes to be set
tled in conference are the continu
ance of the war-time powers permit
ting licensing control of the sugar
business, and. the requisitioning of
stocks at refineries, leaders in con
gress were doubtful whether an
agreement could be reached before
the holiday recess. As passed by the
senate, the bill repealed the license
control, and contained no reference
to the requisitioning power.
Opposition of the bill's supporters
to the repeal of these powers and the
unanimous criticism of the sugar
equalization board that the senate
bill would serve no useful purpose
were placed before the house com
mittee before it decided earlier in the
day to recommend continuance of the
powers. The board declared It should
be vested with tnese powers as wen
as the power to place an embargo on
export.
The house Interstate commerce
committee began hearings today on
the proposal to place -atif embargo-on
sugar, but deferred final action until
Friday. Several members of congress
sppeared before the committee to urge
favorable action.
In the house debate, however. Rep
resentative Fordney, republican. Mich
igan, declared "this embargo talk is
nonsense," as under an agreement of
the equalization board with Great
Britain, France and Italy to keep
them out of the Cuban market, the
United States was compelled to ex
port some sugar to these countries,
House action on the bill resulted
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 2.)
THE WORLD:
"I MAY BE
J . : . t
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I I
I f olg A -
I acting YTWnC- " T?J
j J RlfOT " 'j' I
Porta's Cental Belfrcy Contains
Covey of Fluttering Bats, Think
Fellow Scientists.
Full many a time and oft, in the
centuries which are dust, prophets
have predicted the end of the world.
With confident calamitous pessimism
they have foretold the exact minute
of the given day on which the fine old
sphere should revert to the elements
of eternity and cease its folly and its
wisdom once and for all.
So there's really nothing new at
all in the forecast of practical final
ity, set for today, December 17 ex
cept that for once, the prediction
has the semblance of isolated scien
tific approval. It ia the dictum of
one astronomer alone. Professor Por
ta, an European meteorologist and
against his prophecy in absolute de
nial stands the remainder of the
scientific world. Others equally or
more learned in the stars and the
mysterious forces that wheel the
planets on their cycles, agree to the
last savant that Porta's mental bel
fry contains a vast convey of bats,
whose flutterings have seriously im
paired his scientific Judgment.
Cataclysm Is Scouted
The world is in no danger what
ever of ending, nor are cataclysmic
storms to rage over the face of earth
In brief. Professor Porta's predic-
diction is the acme of unlimited bunk"
would serve as a free translation of
the weight of learned opinion that
bears down upon the European as
tronomer. Actually Professor Porta's forecast
for today is not for the end of the
world, but the terrific disturbances
that he asserts will rock the earth
between today and Friday of this
week, are of such predicted magnl
tude that, should they occur, humani
ty might as well close up shop and
call it a day. It is the terrible nature
of these alleged scientific divina
tions that have led to world-wide
alarm and the belief, among the cred
ulous, that the clock of destiny is to
toll its final hour.
Basis of Prophecy Kxplalaed.
Briefly, the Porta prophecy is based
upon the peculiar conjunction of the
planets of the solar system, which will
be grouped today practically in a
straight line from the sun, tugging
with the immeasurable energy of
their combined magnetism against the
glowing surface of the orb of day.
In this league are Mercury, Venus,
Mars, Jupiter. Saturn and Neptune.
AlBO 'in.-a 'straight line, but" on'" the
opposite side of the sun, appears the
planet Uranus.
It is Porta's contention that the
electro-magnetic energy of these
planets, concentrated by their con
junction, will create a vast sun spot,
capable of engulfing worlds, on what
to us is the eastern side of the sun,
and that the result will be a solar
explosion which is to flame millions
of miles into space. It is the force of
this prophesied solar demonstration
that will, according to Porta, create
horrific storms upon the earth, cause
(Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.)
PRETTY WELL BUNGED UP,
PULL THROUGH!"
Journey Calls for First Stop at
Honolulu, Across Orient and
Home Via Azores.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16. G. M.
Gorden, a Portland aviator, announced
here today that he proposed to start
out from San Francisco before Feb
ruary, in an attempt to fly around
the world. He said he would use a
seaplane of the type in which Com
mander Read crossed the Atlantic last
summer. .
Honolulu would be his first stop,
he said, and his route from there
would be via Japan, Hongkong,
Singapore, Colombo, Bombay, Aden
and Port Said; across the Mediter
ranean to Lisbon, then a side trip
to Paris and London and back, and
then across the Atlantic, via the
Azores to New York, thence to Cen
tral America and home by way of
San Diego.
G. Murl Gorden lived at 1165 East
Pine street after bis demobilization
until recently. At a late hour last
night no details of his record as an
aviator were available.
STRIKE LOSS $125,000,000
Ohio Estimates Show Coal Miners
Alone Out $60,000,000.
COLUMBUS. O.. Dec 16. Loss to
the United States on account of the
recent coal strike amounted to ap
proximately J125.000.000, while that to
Ohio was about $27,000,000, according
to W. D. McKInney, secretary of the
Southern Ohio coal exchange. Addi
tional loss to railroads from curtailed
service to industries forced to shut
down on account of the fuel situation
could not be estimated, and no allow
ance therefor is made in the esti
mate, Mr. McKInney stated.
The miners were the greatest losers
in the strike, Mr. McKinney's figures
showed. Sixty million dollars was hi
estimate of their losses in wages. The
loss to the railroads he placed at
$40,000,000, while the operators' fig
ures he set at J26.000.000.
FOOD POISONS FAMILY
Two Children Dead; Mother and
Father Critically 111.
SAN RAFAEL, Cal., Dec. 16. Two
children died here today and their
parents, Antone and Anna Canzione,
wore in a hospital in critical condi
tion as a result, according to their
ph sieian, -of - poisoning -front- vanned
string beans, which the family ate
Saturday night.
TWO POLICEMEN ARE HELD
Theft of $12,000 In Furs Churged
to Brooklyn Officers.
NEW YORK, Dec. 16. Two police
men, Peter Reuger and Herman
Craus, were arested today by order
of District Attorney Lewis of Brook
lyn, In connection with the theft of
lurs vaiuea at iz,uuu irom a manu
facturing furrier's plant on No
vember 30.
BUT I ALWAYS MANAGE TO
Increase of 28 Per Cent
Declared Assured.
SENATE INQUIRY CONTINUES
Settlement Probe Brings Out
Interesting Facts. v
FUEL SITUATION IMPROVES
Last of Restrictions on Delivery of
Coal Removed and Embargo on
Oil from West Lifted.
WASHINGTON, Dec 16. The senate
coal Investigating committee, resum
ing today its inquiry into the admin
istration strike settlement agreement,
ws told by Tracy W. Guthrie, presi
dent of the Hillman Coal & Coke com
pany, that one clause in the proposi
tion advanced Dy President Wilson
and accepted py the miners, would
bring about an increase in the
miners' wages at least doubling the
14 per cent which Dr. H. A. Garfield,1
resigned fuel administrator, thought
justified."
The railroad administration with
drew the last semblances of restric
tions on fuel and began delivering
coal to original consignees instead of
distributing it to points of greatest
need. It rescinded the embargo on
the movement of fuel oil out of the
west, and the orders reducing the
amount of coal permitted .to go to
coking ovens.
At the white house it was said that
President Wilson would not appoint
the commission provided In the strike
settlement proposal until Attorney
General Palmer returns from the west
late this week.
The senatorial inquiry was re
opened with the callinr of R. V.
Norrls. engineer for the fuel admin
istration, who was conducted by Sen
ator Krelinhuysen and Senator Town?
eefiO, Michigan', through a. 'maze of
statistics bearing on labor costs and
prices of necessities.
"Secretary of Labor Wilson pro
posed that the miners be given an in
crease of 31.67 per cent," Mr. Norrls
explained, "because he based his cal
culations on the pay paid pick min
ers. In 1917. when the coal mine
wages were readjusted, the pic miners
were getting the greatest amount and
the scales were balanced by giving
them ' a lesser Increase than other
classes of labor around the mines.
This was necessary In order to in
duce men to do the other work.
uanieia aeciaea mat a par
ticular wage group ought not to serve
now j.s a basis for calculations and
tool: the average wage of all workers.
After arriving at that he found that
an addition of 14 per cent to their
earnings would compensate them for'
the cost of living since the last ad
justments were made."
Larger fomnilaxloa L rjced.
Chairman Frellnghuysen asked if
the witness approved the creation of
a commission composed of one miner,
ono mine operator and one repre
sentative of the public, with power to
fix wages and prices.
"That would depend on the makeup
of the commission," Norrls returned:
"but I think a larger number ought
to be named. It gives two interests
a chance to combine against the
third."
Mr. Guthrie was called to present
actual facts from payrolls upon
wages.
" "About 20 per cent of the miners
are Idle all the time, according to
our experience with 23 mines." he
told the committee. "That Is. we have
to have 120 names on the payroll In
order to get 100 men on the job as a
constant factor. Miners like to cele
brate all American holidays and a
lot of foreign ones. Then they have
Mitchell day' on April 1, in honor of
the late John Mitchell. They have
'rabbit day' on November 10, when
everybody adjourns to shoot a rab
bit."
From mine accounts he read the
record of one miner who in 187 days
of the present year, earned $3070, or
an average of $15.50 per day. He paid
$72 rent for a "company house' .during
the period and his fuel bill was $5.
Other records furnished showed the
earnings during the first nine months
or isis ranging from $1400 to $2100
for pick and machine miners.
ELLENSBURG, Wash., Dec. 16.
Striking coal miners of the Cle Elum
and Roslyn districts, the largest coal
fields in Washington, today were vot
ing on the question of returning to
work. A 'telephone message from
Roslyn late today said the four locals
there, with a total membership of
nearly 2000, voted overwhelmingly In
favor of remaining on strike.
Frank Holmes, president of the
miners' local at Jonesville, one of the
towns in the district, predicted today
that the members of his union tonight
would vote to remain out. The result
of the Cle Elum vote has not been
received here.
According to reports received here,
radical members of the unions aru
urging the miners to remain out. They
have not stated exactly what they are
holding- out for, but declare they want
the d'"trtct officers to go to the fields
- (Concluded on Page 2. Column 6.)
Thermometer Stays Around Freez
ing Point All Day Strong
Gale Reported on Coast.
Fingers of rain tore at the snow
drifts, relics of last week's epochal
storm, from early morning yesterday
mid all throughout the day, while the
mercury, for the first time since De
cember. 8, ran up the tube beyond the
freeiln point. At 4 o'clock in the
afternoon the hishest reading of the
: day vat reached, at 33 degrees, or
one notch above the frost line.
Though the streets were prolific of
slush and umbrellas replaced were
hoisted against the steady downfall
of moisture, Portland breathed a sigh
of sincere relief that the province
of the cold spell apparentl:- had bien
passed. But one dread remained the
anxiety lest falling raij should plunge
through a strata of cold frosty atmos
phere and reach the earth as sleet, in
augurating the beautiful, but dis
astrous charms of a genuine silver
thaw.
Edward L. Wells, chief of the Port
land weather bureau, said last night
that present conditions do not war
rant expectations either of a silver
thaw or flood, though a turn inthe
weather, either way. might bring one
or the other. . But he bade Portland
find heart in the fact that the odds
are for a genial and gradual waning
of the spell of weather.
All day yesterday the thermometer
hovered around the freezing point, a
pleasant temperature when compared
with the minimums of a few days ago,
and at 4 o'clock it crept one degree
above. The forecast last night was
for rain today, with warmer atmos
phere and southerly winds.
Along the coast, as predicted, south-
erly and southwestern winds wrought
a strong gale. Reports received from
North Head were to the effect that
the wind attained a maximum velocity
of 68 miles an hour yesterday after
noon, sinking down to 48 miles at
5 o'clock.
While rain fell iii the downtown
district yesterday morning, sections
of the suburban districts, more ex
posed and at slightly higher altitude,
experienced the threat of a silver
thaw. Moisture in many such dis
tricts fell as sleet, coating the trees
with the typical pearly ice film of the
dreaded thaw. It is this weight of
ice, redoubled through days of storm,
that plays havoc with light and power
lines, renders the streets almost im
passable and brings about conditions
that are fully as onerous, though en
tirely different, as those whicfi at
tended, the recent blizzard.
4 '
2 STORMS DELAY LINERS
Scores of Passenger and Freight
Vessels Are Overdue.
NEW YORK, Dec. 16. A dozen
large passenger liners and scores of
freighters, several days overdue here,
are being held up by rough seas, high
winds and fog, according to wireless
reports today, telling of reduced
speed made necessary by two storms
which have swept across the Atlantic
in the last ten days.
After having fought their way
through the storms, several craft
have run into thick weather, as a re
sult of whifh the freighter' Grange
Park grounded off Long Island and
the liner Carmania is in Halifax un
dergoing repairs resulting from a col
lision. Among liners overdue are the Rot
terdam, Baltic, Veronica, Carmania,
Royal eGorge, La Fayette, Bergens
fjord, Vasari, Europa and Antonio
Lopez.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTKRDAY'S Maximum temperature, 53
desrecs; minimum, degrees.
TODAY'S Ruin and warmer; southerly
winds.
National.
House passes senate bl!l proi-iding fur con
tinued control of sugar. Page 1.
Increase of L'-S per cent in wae'es of coal
miners la declared assured. Page 1.
"Washington wonders what the president
will do regarding railroads. 1'age 1.
Pershing says United States niuile Ger
mans quit. Page 3.
IHimrstlc.
War to the limit on profiteers declared by
Attoi ney-cleneral Palmer. Page 1.
American Legion warns congress against
t:ilse economy policy. Page 2.
Senator Harding announces republican
presidential nomination aspirations.
Page 4.
Bill sent to house to curb radicals. Page 7.
Women of nation launch drive against
high prices. Page 1.
Dry amendment Is attacked In court.
Page a.
Physicians believe Atlantic City slayer to
be unbalanced. Page 3.
Pacific Northwest.
Mercury at Wasco climbs above zero.
Page 8.
Sports.
Revival of ice hockey in Portland con
templated. Page 14.
Oregon coach hopes for ' even break in
Harvard game. Paqe 14.
Gibbons outpoints Darcy in Milwaukle
bout. Page 15.
Commercial and Marine.
Government calls for bids for January
flour. Page '21.
All deliveries of corn sharply higher at
Chicago. Page 21.
Stocks advance with easier money and
higher exchange. Page 21.
Boats unreported as beacons go out.
Page 16. .
Portland and Vicinity.
East-sldera differ over playground. Page 6.
Dr. Estella Ford Warner, T. W. C. A.
physician, returns from Russia. Page 12.
Mercury rises and Portland has rain.
Page 1.
Claims of "Dr." Lucas branded as absurd
by university professor. Page 15.
Change in highway procedure favored by
member of commission. Page 5.
Increase in price of gasoline announced by
Standard Oil company. Page 13.
World, billed to end today, declared in no
danger. Page 1.
Wholesale grocers may be InvestiRatcd
for using sugar to draw trade. Page 4.
Council delaps vote on one-way traffic
measure to allow time for improvement.
Pago 8,
War to Limit on Extreme
Prices Declared.
AID OF CITIZENS SOLICITED
Attorney General Outlines His
Plan of Procedure.
WOMEN ASKED TO ASSIST
People Urged to Exercise Economy,
to Buy Only Necessities and
to Increase Production.
CHICAGO. Dec 16. Attorney
General A. Mitchell Palmer today
mapped out the programme of the
department of justice to bring down
the cost of living at a meetinir of
400 city officials, heads of civic or
ganizations and clubwomen of Illinois,
called by Governor F. O. Lowden.
Pledging the full power of his de
partment in the prosecution of hoard
ers and profiteers, Mr. Palmer called
for the assistance of every man and
woman for a national fight against
high prices.
Explaining the plan of action
whereby fair price committees in
every community will become agents
of the federal government in enforc
ing its decrees, Mr. Palmer laid
down a programme of five courses of
action, which, if carried out, would
do much to deal a deathblow to the
high cost of living. They are:
1. Organization of fair price com
mittees in every city and county,
backed by mayors and prosecuting
attorneys, with the committees sup
porting United States district at
torneys. Buy Only Nevesaitln. Plea.
2. . Organization of women to re
fuse to buy anything but actual ne
cessities until prices come down.
3. Holding of "conservation and
economic meetings," in every com
munity under the auspices of civic
bodies. ' -
4. Influence of mayors and prose
cuting attorneys to be brought to
bear on the "warring elements" to
prevent "factional disturbances in in
dustry," and particularly to brini?
about an industrial peace of at least
six months" juration.
5. Rcmobillzatlon of the "four
minute men" to deliver "work and
save" addresses in theaters each
night."
"Despite all objections and ob
stacles, I propose to go through with
this campaign." Mr. Palmer said. "It
industrial conditions do not get too
bad during the next few months, we
can bring real relief."
Waice Karnera Fortunate.
The wage earners were in the class
of the rich, in that their income, as
I a rule, had kept pace with the rapidly
mounting cost of living. Mr. Palmer
added. The salaried worker was the
man who had felt the full brunt of
higher costs, because he had been the
last to obtain relief.
The chief cause of the high cost
of living, he pointed out. were de
creased production incident to the
war. inflated currency due to govern
ment borrowings and heavy taxes,
which he charged were passed on by'
business men to the ultimate con
sumer. "In every line of trade there are
selfish and greedy men who have
taken advantage of after-war condi
tions to add a bit to their prices and
profits," Mr. Palmer said. "Such men
are the profiteers and I purpose to
devote all the power at my command
to root them out and expose them to
public scorn, and, if necessary, put
them In public prisons. The profiteer
is worse than unpatriotic, he is crim
inal. I ask the state's attorneys of
Illinois to go after these devils with
all the force you command.""
l'arli Kfrlcleat Weapon.
Activities of the department of Jus
tice, he said, bad already uncovered
219 cases against food hoarders, which
had resulted In the libeling and dis
tribution in 18 states of millions of
dollars' worth of food.
Ninety-eight cases had been brought
against profiteers, many of whom
were indicted, and some of whom
were serving sentences.
The campaign was to continue, the
attorney-general declared, with one'
purpose "prices must come down'"
"I am not worried over hurting the
retail dealers," he added. "They have
had their harvest time, and now tine
people are to get a look in. The finest
weapon in this campaign is knowl
edge. Let the people know the facts
and they will take care of the rest."
Mr. Palmer described the efforts
being made to get congress to con
tinue the operation of the Lever food,
control act for six months after the
declaration of peace and to pass a law
requiring the price at which an arti
cle left the producer to be stamped
upon the article.
New Law Held Necessary.
"If we can get that law we will
stop profiteering," he said. "When you
go to the shoe store if you see plainly
stamped on a pair of shoes' the whole
sale price of 14.50 you simply are not
going to pay 1K for that pair of
shoes. I know of a great department
store in one of our cities where the
sale price on goods has no relation
to the cost. They advertise a special
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