The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-19
Merchants, Too, Very Care ful Against Overlooking
 With Supplies
SUGAR SENSATIONAL
 IN SHOOTING SKYWARD
T. H. Clarke Says That Blame Attached to Local Merchants Not De- seryed--He Holds Trusts
 Responsible
By J. A. RANDY

1 There is marked hesitation on the
 part of the Birmingham public in ac-
 cepting the high prices of foodstuffs re-
 sulting from sudden outbreak of the great European war. Retail merchants state 1 that there has been distinct slacken- l ing in grocery trade during the last two | weeks, the people still cherishing the hope that prices may be reduced. There is
 said to be a tendency among local con- | sumers to delay purchasing to the last possible moment so as to be able to take advantage of any decline in quotations | that may develop.
 l As yet, however, this Impatient wait l ing policy has been without reward. i Flour quotations have remained firm at l high levels, indeed, slight advances being recorded since the first swift upward | mov ement in the wheat market. Whole sale quotations on flour now range from $5.30 to $6.40 on the Birmingham market ! retail prices, of course, being in propor- tion.
 Sugar prices are even more unfavor- able to the would-be purchaser. The av- craze retail price of sugar in this city now ranges from 10 to 12 pounds for S1 The "skyrocket' advance of sugar has proved to be most alarming to the con sumer, and there is every indication that the sugar market is reaching for record breaking price levels. Yesterdays whole sale quotation in Birmingham was SS50 per 100 pounds, and New Orleans quota tions were given at $7.50. Many wholesale dealers do not hesitate to predict that the price will reach $10 before a halt is called
 Prices on many other commodities have ceased to advance, but these quotations are firm.
 T. II. Clarke, of Clarke Brothers, retail grocers, when seen by an Age Herald re- porter yesterday, stated there was dis tinct tendency on the part of the public to place some of the blame of the present high prices on the local retailers.
 Mir Clarke stated furtrer that il was with keen regret to the retailers that it became pecessary to make abrupt changes in staple prices, but that extraordinary market conditions made selling at prices formerly in force impossible. Continuing MT. Clarke said that the trusts were prov ing the "curse of the land,'' and that the sudden advance in sugar would not have proved so sensational had the visible sugar supply in this country not been controlled by certain group of capital fStc- i1t Sid dltd ltldi lHc blIlllilS itttll public place much faith III the investiga- ton of food prices now being made at the instigation of President Wilson, and that he hoped that this investigation would have due effect in adjusting prices and conditions.
 Wholesalers here it seems have adopt ed virtually the same attitude concern ing purchases as has the consumer. The dealers fear that having overloaded with commodities at extremely high prices now obtaining, they might'~be caught in a falling market and their holdings greatly reduced in value and the margin of profit wiped out. The business man as we'll as the consumer is experiencing great diff ficulty in adjusting himself to new con- ditions. Everywhere dealers and consum- CTS are buying for present needs, await ing the course of events in the matter of obtaining future supplies. Will present price levels stand the test of time? This is the general problem.