Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1919 — Drastic Law to Cut Profltoor. [ARTICLE]

Drastic Law to Cut Profl too r.

Indianapolis, Aug. 22. —A. Mitchell Palmer, attorney general of the United States, has recommended that congress extend federal control to clothing and other necessities through a new law, similar to the act which gave the government supervision over the production and distribution of food during the war. Dr. Harry E. Barnard, federal food administrator for- Indiana, announced on his return from New York, where he was in conference with the attorney general and food administrators of several states. "The attorney general Informed us,” said Doctor Barnard, “that he has asked congress to establish federal control over clothing and other necessities, which will prevent speculation and the taking of unreasonable profit. The food control act itself is sufficient to take care of the situation as It applies to foodstuffs. The attorney general was of the opinion that there has been more profiteering in other lines of commodities. He declared that he expects congress _to make profiteering of any sort a crime. Under existing laws, he said, it is not criminal except where two or more people^combine to profiteer.” That profiteering in sugar, which was widespread and flagrant, according to reports, Is abating In Indiana and that the movement for making public other cases where unfair prices are charged for commodities has already had an Influence In the state, was the opinion of Doctor Barnard on the Indiana situation.