The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-03-04
CONGRESS WOULD
END PRICE FIXING
Judiciary Committee Up Against Per-
picking Proposition In Considering
Certain Trust Bills
STRONG ARGUMENT GIVEN
New York Woman Tells of Advantages
Of System And Says Housewife Can
Thereby standardize Purchases

Of System And Says Housewife Can
Thereby standardize Purchases
From Congressman C.. H. Tavenner.
Washington, March 4-One of the
perplexing problems in front Of the
Judiciary Committee, which is con
sidering certain of the trust bills, is
the question of price fixing on stand
ardized and advertised articles. The
tentative bill as drawn forbids this
practice. 1t goes on the theory that
when the retailer buys a trademark
ed standard article, the full title
passes with the article, and it then
becomes a restraint of trade for the
manufacturer to compel the retailer
to sell that article at a specified re-
tail price.
The committee, in advocating this
provision has in mind food stuffs,
particularly when these articles are
controlled by monoplies. When price
fixing is permitted by law the manu-
f%acturer comes into possession of a
powerful weapon-the boycott. That
is, if the retailer sells below the price
fixed by the manufacturer, the latter
can refuse to allow the retailer to
deal in that article.
But there is undoubtedly strong
argument on both sides of this pro-
position, and before the Committee
have come representatives of many
firms, some of them who are fight
ing m~onopolies, pleading for the right
to fix prices.
The Committee had a unique wit
ness in Mrs. Christine Frederick, of
New York, who came as the represen-
tative of the Housewives League. AS
a consumer, Mrs. frederick spoke in
favor of the practice of price fixing,
as being more Of a benefit than an
injury to the consumer. Incidentally
she condemned the department store
bargain sale in strong terms, and de-
clared that Germany has adopted
laws f%orbiddingg retailers to cut prices
on standard goods. ~ ~ ii"
"My object as a consumer said
Mrs. Frederick, sis to get the greatest
value for my money with least expen-
diture of time and effort. In order
to do this I have found it essential
that I standardize my purchases. I
have found it was wasteful of time
and expensive in money to make an
analysis of an article as to size, guam
tity, quality and price every timeI go
to the store to buy. I must do this
unless I stick to a brand. lose
money when I have no standards.
"Experience has taught me that
the manufacturers mark offers me
my maximum guaranty as a consul.
mer. The trademark is that sign
by which I can standardize my pur-
chases. The manufacturers trade
mark II me of five vital things
which nothing else could do 50 strai-
ghtfordwardly and logically: (1),
quality, (2) manufacturers name,
60 price, (4) size and weight, 60
place of manufacture.
"The trademark is my protection
and convenience, because it is some
port of a guaranty by the manufac-
turer that he will continue these de-
finite standards of quality and price
at any time and place. The. trade
mark Identifies both quality and lack
of quality-value or lack of value.
There is a trade-marked, well we'll
known brand of women's hosiery
which I have found undesirable.
will not buy them again. The trade.
mark and the set price may be 6
guide against inferiority as we'll a.
for excellence" a
Mrs. Frederick then went on Il
denounce the practice of special bar
gains in which standards advertised
goods are sold below cost, declaring
that this practice is just as morall!
reprehensible from a business stand
point as for the Standard Oil Co. t.
sell oil below cost in a communit!
to drive out competition.
h. II have yet to find a single in
stance" she said, where the cutting
of the price has not been used as
bait or lure to induce me to go int
the store to buy unstandardized good
on which the dealers have so mucl
o profit. ] have found the deale;
greatly disappointed, even impolite
because he could sell me nothing
more