The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-31
The CONSUMER, THE RETAILER
-. AND THE SHRINKING
~ DOLLAR.

A GNGh budoAeu SSA man SdaA@AN'A-J
has failed signally in handling one
economic problem that has arisen
from the war. and at Is the prob
lem of high prices, or perhaps it
would be better to call it the problem
of the shrinking dollar, or the shrink
ing mark as the case may be.
Herbert Hoover has learned lot
about price fixing since he assumed
the ONCE of food administrator. and
it Is evident that he is less and less
inelined to attempt to fix prices
arbitrarily. or interfere thus directly
with the law of supply and demand.
The entire aim of the food admins
tration seems to be to influence and
stabilize prices. and eliminate all
Unnecessary profits caused by specu-
iation, boarding, or simple profiteer-
3nE.
Two insurmountable difficulties
stand in the way of fixing definite
prices. In the first place the price
win be a burden to the consumer II
too high, and will shut off production
II too low. In the second place, the
complications entailed by fixing the
Mprice of one article are endless, for
In fairness the price Of every other
article that enters into its produc-
lion should be fixed.
Mr.. Hoover announced that most
retail prices were outside of his juris-
hiction, and that they must be con-
Mrolled by public sentiment. 1t may
be possible to control retail prices by
public sentiment. 1t probably is pos
sible in a measure. but 1t calls for
Inc most careful study Of local con-
fitions by a man of rare intelligence
y nice sense of justice, absolute dis
4nterestedness, and unquestioned
probity. Public sentiment can easily
be infamed these days on the ques-
ion of prices, and great injustice
might be done.
Monday evening The Forum cited
ahe case of cigars. Coincident with
the taking effect of the war tax on
cigars, came an announcement that
dealers were contemplating a raise in
prices. The war tax on nickel cigars
WAS one-tenth of cent, and the
aaise contemplated was IA cents
But there l. another side to it, which
In Justice to the dealer should be
made public. Before the war, nickel
cigars cost the dealer approximately
S35 "a thousand. Today those same
cigars cost him S43 a thousand. In
the first instance they showed prof
h Of 20 per cent. Now they show q
proht of about 161s per cent. II
costs the retailer at least 90 per cent
70 do business. The war tax, they
claim, was but the last straw in g
steadily increasing burden.
The case of cigars is but one ex-
ample out of d hundred that might
De cited. 1t might as we'll be coal
eggs. butter. milk, shoes or any one
of the necessities of life. Who is 60
ing to say what a fair retail price
should be? 1t is not the province Of
q newspaper. 1t IL unfair to ask q
newspaper to undertake such a role
On the one hand are its readers
whose interests demand the lowest
possible prices. On the other HAND
are it's advertisers who demand al
least a reasonable profit. 1t would
zee like asking lawyer to undertake
to erve two clients who are oppos'
- 9TH. L., Tn
An unprincipled newspaper might
eily make capital for itself by q
md agitation against all profits
- gain new subscribers. BY care
by choosing the objects of its as
bits it might not lose great
nount of advertising patronage.
ch the other hand, 1t might keeT
snt on the question Of prices ever
eugh some retailers showed a dis.
ition to take 'all the traffic will
r.. The Forum does not believe
IRE are many Of that stamp. or
~ contrary the retailer is the mar
ID takes most OF the unpleasant
IS and gets the least benefit from
- pNAGeSs
This is the dilemma that confronts
cry decent newspaper that has the
interests Of its community al
rt. That is the position in which
B Forum finds itself. 1t wants t
any reductions brought about By
food or fuel administration
sed on promptly to the eonsum
II wants to see every retailel
ke legitimate profit without TAX
advantage of the opportunities
ered to extort unfair. profits. Ant
this respect the fair dealer is al
ch in need OF protection as thu
nsumer.
The Forum knows only too wei
an les own experience with risinl
Is. the problems that confront thu
ier. Il sells newspapers.
knows only too well the problem
the man on . Fixed salary who i