El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-12-13
IRON AND STEEL
PRICES SHOULD
Be FIXED, VIEW
Of TRADE BOARD
Extension Of Power to
Other Products Than
Food and Fuel.
SCOPE
is RECOMMENDED

n FNSfbNOAt wv A6s AIAtSAoABh VI
the governments price fixing power
to other products than food and fuel
and especially to iron and steel, is be.
lleved necessary by the federal trade
commission in the light Of experience
gained in investigating economic con,
ditions since the United States enter
ed the war. Recommendation that a
temporary administrative body be es.
tablished to determine reasonable
prices for prime necessities and also
to regulate the distribution Of raw
materials and finished products was
made in the commissions annual re.
port, submitted today to congress.
Other recommendations suggest
that the commissions powers of OBJ.
tanning information be broadened to
authorize requirement of reports
from individuals engaged in com
merce. as well as corporations; that
information gathered by temporary
semiofficial organizations such as
the council of national defense, in
Guiding all correspondence, be order.
ed preserved; that trade association
files should be made public records,
that investigation OF foreign trade
conditions be made to permit proper
measures with regard to American in
dustrial organization now and when
peace is concluded; that the Webb
bill to eliminate associations for ex-
port trade from the operation Of the
Sherman law be passed, and that the
salary limitation of $4,000 a year be
removed from the commissions ex-
pert employees.
Declaration of war has not lessened
either the number or Importance of
the complaints made to the commits
sion of unfair competition, but on the
contrary the number of complaints
has increased. During the fiscal year
ending June 80, a total of 1O2 COM
plants were disposed of without for
NAL proceedings, leaving 191 COM
plants still under investigation. APP
plications for remedial procedure by
the commission showed a decrease
from the fiscal year ending June 80,
1916. In nine cases during the last
year, the commission issued formal
complaints, and in four the matter
was disposed of by the issuance Of or
ders to cease and desist.
Beside its regulative functions, the
has been engaged in eco
nomic Investigations, the most i'm
portant of which concerned the news
print paper, gasoline and coal indus.
At the request of the presi-
dent, the commission has undertaken
inquiries into industries
war supplies to- the gov
eminent and information thus obtain
ed is being used as a basis for gov
eminent contracts.
Regarding the necessity for govern
mental price-fixing, the report says:
THE experience of this govern.
ment in the question of fixing prices
Is n that has been carefully follow
ed by the commission, which has fur
extensive data for this pur-
pose to the fuel administration and to
the war industries board. The com
mission has also had under c%onsidera-
lion the experience of other countries
N this matter, and particularly Eng
and and her colonies, France, and
other allies. 1t is convinced that price
fixing by authority of law will have
be extended to other products than
God and fuel, and that such authority
s preferably exercised by a temper
Try administrative body. In particu-
ar it is Of the opinion that such
power should be es-
ablished and exercised with respect
o the iron and steel industry, for
which a bill has already been intro
luced in the senate. Equally import
mt, in its opinion, with the fixing OF
reasonable prices is the regulation
# the distribution of the raw ma
erials and intermediate products in
he industry affected and of the dis
ribution of the final products to the
onsumer. In this connection also
hould be considered the question
bona fide contracts made
rior to- the passage of a price-fixing
Nv should be allowed to be enforced.
his commission is of the opinion
hat the exact merits of the PROPOSE
on might differ somewhat in diff
industries. With respect to the
on and steel industry, however, it
elieves that the greatest public ad-
would be attained by not al
wing such contracts to be fulfilled, |
| least over long periods of time.
/ the case Of coal, it is the opinion
: the commission that the continued
Of long-term bona fide con-
acts of sale made prior to the enact
yent Of the law would initiate
the most successful operation
price fixing by the government"
Need Of investigation
The need of comprehensive investi-
atom Of trade associations according !.