The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-06-22
DETERMINED To
CUT WAR PRICES
Big Business Perturbed by
Insistence on Normal
Profits at This Time
PRESIDENTS PLANS
THOUGHT RADICAL
Trade Commission s Suggestion of Gov
ernment Ownership of Railroads the
Climax - Denman Gives Warning to
the Steel Producers.

WASHINGTON, June 22-Big business
and the government locked horns yestcr
day at conference which may have a wide
influence upon the prices which the govern
mcnt will pay for materials in connection
with its war activities. Shipping and the
price OF steel was the topic on which de-
bate was centred, but many other interests
were involved through the men present.
Big business, it was intmated by some
after The conference, were anxious about
recent developments, which came to a
climax with the recommendations Of the
federal trade commission that the rail
roads, coal mines, and coke-producing com
panies be operated by the government
Several steps, taken previously to that
of Yesterday and apparently sanctioned
lhy President Wilson, are:
/. Reduction by Bernard Baruch of the
advisory board OF the Council of National
Defense of the price of copper from -
to IL cents a pound.
,. Refusal of Secretary Daniels to sane
ton the payment OF S2.95 a ton for coal,
as recommended by Francis Peabody of the
coal production committees, and insistence
that they must deliver coal at 81 p a tou.
| 3. Reduction ot OIL prices hy Secretary
| Daniels, under power to commander, from
| 81 - a barrel to So cents
l. Threat 10y Daniels which induced
steel concerns to agree to furnish steel
for warships at >65 a ton
> Refusal by William Dcnmau, prcsI
dent Of the shipping board, to sign con
| tracts for steel for merchant ships at SO
n ton leading to the fixing Of tentative
price of so.
6. Enactment of bill to authorize the
President to decide what freight shall have
priority on the railroads, thereby incrcas
| ing his control of transportation.
| J. Provisions OF pending food legislation
which give the President control over food
lpriccs and distribution, and under which
according To the President, Mr.. Hoover
will have full authority to handle the food
situation in the interest OF the people
g Regulations being formulated in &C
lcordancc with the Espionage act which
Igavc the President unprecedented power
to put an embargo on exports to foreign
countries.
An these things which. in the opinion
Of the government. are essential to the
successful conduct of the war. tho Prcsi-
dent is behind, as big business has learned,
land has informed congress that it must
enact legislation that viii give him author
It's to protect the government in the prices
Fit must pay for the necessities OF war az
well as the things the people must con
sumo during the war.
The mon who met in the conference yes
tcrlav included William Denman, chair
man Of the United States shipping board;
lGcncraI GoctIals, John p Farrell, prcsi-
dent of the United States Steel corpora
lton: Bernard NJ Baruch chairman of the
committee on raw materials Of the Coun,
Tell of National Defense; Howard Coffin.
and Frank Scott OF the general munitions
lhoald
Reports of what took place at this meet.
ing were limited. but on high authority
il was learned that Mr. Dcnman spoke his
mind concerning the price that should he
paid for steel for merchant ships and told
Mr. Farrell that as the responsible head
of the shipping board he would never con
sent Ia the government paying more foI
steel than the navy department, o. about
So "A ton. MIR Denman said that lac be
icvcd that about $50 was all the govern
mcnt should lie asked to Jay, despite the
war time quotations, which in some cases
in tie dealings between the corporation
and the allies of America went as high
rs $50 ton
Mr. Dcnman. II is understood, served
notice on Mr. Farrell as representative o.
the steel interests that he would advocate
o congressional investigation OF the indus
L try il fight was made to force the gov
crnment to pay anything like 800 tor
for steel to obtain quick delivery.
The presence of Mr.. Baruch at con
ference where such subjects We're under
debate was regarded as significant bccaus'
of the prominence given TO reports thai
lIIr. Baruch might be asked tn assume th'
position of general purchasing agent foi
IL, n,,rnrn1nrr4