Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-06
HIGH PRICES WILL
NOT BE TOLERATED
Council of Defense Begins a
Probe of Retail Situation
in This City.
EX0RBITANT CHARGES MADE
Sugar and Tobacco Among
Commodities That Are
"Out of Sight"

EXorbitant prices charged by some
retail dealers in Tulsa will not be
tolerated further, according to an
nouncement last night of the Tulsa
County Council of Defense. Many
cases of unreasonable charges have
been reported TO the council in the
past few days and Stratton d. Brooks,
federal food administrator for Okla
homa. yesterday instructed the or
ganization to Immediately procure
evidence of these instances.
One store on Second street was re-
ported as selling sugar for 121s cents
pound. They claim to have plenty
of sugar on hand. In spite of de-
cided shortage thruout the city.
Wholesalers Regulated.
Wholesalers of sugar. who charge
unreasonable profits lay themselves
liable TO prosecution" declared j.
Burr Gibbons, chairman of the coun-
cil last night. Retailers must not
think that they can escape trouble
by doing the very thing that the gov
ernment is preventing the jobber from
doing. The refiners price for beet
sugar is 1925 per hundred. Jobbers
must not charge more than 10 to 2j
cents per hundred above the price
set for the refineries. We want all
cessive sugar charges. Each case will
be judged on its merits. The re-
taller who takes advantage of the
present shortage by charging IL e
cents a pound for sugar, when she
government makes it possible for him
to buy it at s7.25 per hundred, is not
a good American and he should not
be shown any mercy"
Smoke "Combine" Hero.
Tobacco prices in Tulsa are higher
than anywhere else In the United
States, according to the council of de
fense. F1ve-cent cigars are selling for
cents and 10-cent cigars for II cents.
Ostensihly the extra penny Is to take
care of the war tax" AS a matter
OF fact IL more than pays the war tax
Some time ago local dealers. appar-
emily in a combine. quit selling cigars
at six for quarter" and "three for a
quarter" They raised the price ot
cigarets from 10 to Is cents and from
l5 to 30 cents Some dealers, not IN
the combine are still selling at the
old prices, which proves thaj cigar
cts and cigars can be sold at the old
prices at profit. In oklahoma City
and elsewhere the prices on cigars and
cigarets are invariably lower than they
are in Tulsa.
Is BLOW To Cty.
"Prices charged in many lines of the
retail business in Tulsa are not only
seriously affecting the pocketbooks OF
persons with moderate incomes, but
they are hurting the city" declared
Il. NJ. McFarlin, president of the
Chamber Of Commerce and member
of the council of defense. Constant
" we hear complaints from visitors
that they have to pay more for this
article and that article in Tulsa than
they pay anywhere else. In some in
stances the prices are justified on ac-
count of high rents and other eX-
penses. but generally speaking. I dc
not think the rents in the business dis
trlct of Tulsa are any higher than
they are in Kansas City or Dallas, and
i'm those places the retailers are get
ting much less for their goods than IS
being in some instances In Tulsa"
Exorbitant charges of any descrip-
tion should be reported promptly by
citizens to ]. Burr Gibbons, chair
man of the council of defense.