Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-13
FIX REASONABLE PRICES
FOR PRIME NECESSITIES
establishment Of Temporary Admin
istrative Body Urged by Federal
Trade Commission.
WANTS POWERS BRoADENED
Favors Extension Of Governments
Price.FixiDg Authority to Other
Products Than Food and Fuel, and
Especially to Iron and Steel.
[By Associated Prcss. ]

steel. is believed necessary By tho Fed
cral Trade Commission in the light OF
experience gained in investigating eco
nomic conditions since the United States
cntcrcd the war. Recommendation
that d temporary administrative body
be established to determine rcaSrn1 BILE
prices for prime necessities and also
to regulate the distribution of raw ma
tcr:al5 and finished products was made
IN the commissions annual report. sub
united to-day to Congress.
Other rccomme ndations suggest that
tho comm iS5ion's powers of obtaining
information be broadcncd to authorize
requirement Of reports from individuals
engaged In commerce. i5 We'll as cor
porationa: that information gathered
hy temporary serniofiicial organizations
such the Council Of Nationa! De-
fcnsc. including all correspondence. be
orocred prcscrvcG: that trade aasociu-
ticm flcG should BE- made public rec
oroh: 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
10 eliminate associations for export
trade from tho operation of the Sher
man In" he passed. and that the SALARY.
limitation Of $4,000 year be removed
from the commissions expert en-
plcYccg
Declaration OF war has not lcsYcncd
either tho number or Importance Of the
complaints made to the commission OF
unfair competition. but on the contrary
the number OF complaints has IN
creased. During tho fiscal year ending
June 80. a total of 1o2 complaints were
disposed Of without formal proceed
inss' leaving l9l complaints still un-
uc' 'nvcstGa'ion, Applications for
rc:Dcd!al procedure by the commission,
Shaved
ending June 90. 1915. In nine cases
oul Ing the last GEAR :hc commission
issued formal complaints and IL, four
the matter way disposed ot b. tho igsu.
ahcc OF orders 10 cease and dcsist
Besides regulativc functions the
Commission has been engaged in eco
nomic Investigations, the most import
an; o; which concerned the ncwsp-irt
paper. gasoline aud coal industries. At
the request Of the President, tho com
mission has undertaken extensive in
qu!rics into industries furnishing war
supplies to the government and in
formation thus obtained is being used
AS hasis for government contracts
PRICE-TISING ny kUrIIOUIrH
Will HAVE no HE EXTENDED
Regarding the necessity for govern
mental price liking. tho report says:
The experience ut this government
IN the question Of fixing prices is one
that has been carefully followed by the
commission. which has furnished OK
tensive data for this purpose 20 thc fuel !
administration and to tho war indus
Tries board. The commission has also
had under consideration the experience
OF other countries IN this matter. and
particularly England and her colonies
France and other allies. 1t is con.
WINGED that price fixing b. authority OF
IAN will have 10 bc extended to other
nrAdIIIfH fh.n In, a.;
such authority is preferably exercised
by temporary adm Strativc body
In particular IL Is of the opinion that
such pricc-iiHinS power should he c.
tabli3hcd and exercised with respect
10 the iron and steel industry. for
which bill has already hccn intro
duced In the Senate. Equally import
ant. in It's opinion, with the fixing
OF reasonable prices IL tho regulation
OF the distribution OF the raw ma
tcr'als and intermediate products In the
industry affected, and of the dis;ribu-
ton OF the final products to the CON
sumcr. In this connection also should
he considered tho question OF whether
bona fdc contracts made prior TO tho
passage of q price -fZinS law should he
allowed TO be enforced. This commits
sion Is OF the opinion that the rzar,
merits OF the proposition might exact
somewhat In different industries With
respect to tho iron and steel industry.
however. II believes that the greatest
public advantage would be atta;nct!
by not allowing such contracts TO lie
fulfilled. at least over long periods, OF
time. in tho case az coal il Isl the
opinion OF the commission that the con
tiDucd fulfilimcnt OF long term hon.
fdc contracts Of sale. made prior TO
the enactment OF tho law would milf
tate against the most successful opcr-
alton of price fixing by the govern
mcnt."
The need OF comprehensive invcsti-
cation OF trade associations according
TO tho report has been developed from
the commissions other injuries. Lack
Of adequate trade information has been
found to DC ono of the chief obstacles
in many industries TO the operation of
natural competitive forces, and where
trade associations collect such informa-
ton. 1T was discovered that temptation
frequently results to control prices
artifically ana the channels of distri-
button. Publicity OF trade association
files II Is urged. would extend the
knowledge of demand and supply and
help to prevent abnormal fluctuations
in prizes az we'll AS tend the curb as
ISOLATION activities Of Objectionable
character
ECONOMIC INVESTIGATIONS
MADE DURING YEAR
Economic Investigations during the
year haVo been made into the news
print paper. book print paper, PC
troieum beet sugar, flag. lumber.
anthracite coal and bituminous coal in
Justries. Results Of the inquiries were
made public AS completed, but tho com
mission takes occasion in tho report
10 point out that the passage OF time
has confirmed the correctness of its
deductions from the coal investigation
tnatthc delay in the movement OF cars
is what is limiting the output of the
mines.
I'm the absence Of sufficient rcforma-
ton in the use Of rolling stock the
coal situation in this country will con-
tinue to increase in its menace to the
uublic welfare" tho report adds.
Opportunity also is taken 10 roctify
4 misrepresentation. which tho commits
sion found to exist regarding para
graph In Its coal report. which said:
Whatever measure OF success has
marked the efforts OF the commission
with relation to anthracite coal has
,o,n bccauSc the car SUNNY has