The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-06-22
WILSON TAKES
FIRM STAND To
CUT WAR PRICES
Big Business Perturbed By
His Insistence On Nor
NAL Profits

Washington, June 22.-Big business
and the government locked horns yes
terday at a conference which may
have a wide influence upon the prices
which the government will pay tor
materials in connection with it's war
activities. Shipping and the price Of
steel was the topic on which debate
was carried, but many other interests
were involved through the men pres
ent
Big business, 1t was intimated by
some after the conference, were anx-
1ous about recent developments, which
came to a climax with the recommend
atoms of the Federal Trade Commits
sion Wednesday that the railroads.
coal mines, and coke producing com
panies be operated by the government
Several steps, taken previously to
that Of Wednesday and apparently
sanctioned by President. Wilson, are:
1. Reduction by Bernard Baruch OF
the Advisory Board Of the Council Of
National Defense of the price of cop
per from 80 to 16 cents a pound.
2. Refusal of Secretary Daniels to
sanction the payment of $2.95 a ton
for coal, as recommended by Francis
Peabody of the Coal Production Com
n1ittee, and insistence that they must
deliver coal at s2.25 ton.
8. Reduction of oil prices by Secre-
tary Daniels under power to comman-
deer, from s1s5 a barrel to IS cents
4. Threat by Daniels which induced
steel concerns to agree to furnish steel
for warships at s65 ton.
5. Refusal by William Denman,
president of the Shipping Board, to
sign contracts for steel for merchant
ships at $95 a ton leading to the fixing
of a tentative price of s56.
s. Enactment of bill to authorize
the President to decide what freight
shall have priority on the railroads,
thereby increasing his control of trans
portatfon.
Z. Provisions of pending food legis-
lation which give the President con-
troll over food prices 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
accordance with the Espionage act
Whlch give the president unprecedent-
eo power TO put an embargo on ex-
ports to foreign countries.
All these things which, in the opin-
ION or the government, are essential
TO the successful conduct of the war,
the PRESIDENT is behind as big bust
ness mas learned, and has Informed
congress that 1T must enact legisla-
tlon that Will give him authority to
protect the government in the prices
it must pay for the necessaries of war
as well as the things the people must
consume during the war.
me men who met in the confer
ence included William Denman. Chair
man OF the Onlted states shipping
boaro, General Goethals, John j..
arreil, Fresiueht OF the OnlIeo states
oteei CorpoFation. BernarQ M. b.
iucH' chairman OF the Conm1tlee on
ia" Maeeriais ot the CounclI OF Ma
l,oiiai Dele1se' hoWaru CONN ana
RANK ocott OF the General Munlnons
Doaiu
" VIC. .ooA plaee d. lAis
~. " ~ gu
- 49, -. .:n ...0e ~ - 81
- - eN rs 80
S,4 ...H t,S ~
+h.+ 49,. rosra..;l1e =.
Sbinni,r Ro.rd 10 1,1,,,,a. $500 80
se,,t 70 +ta go1,ar-,,,a,,+ 1..,irsr 80
For stool .tban the New no,,.c+,,a,,+
or about ss5 a ton Mr. Dennoan said
that he believed that about s56 was
ali the government shonId he asked
to. nav desnite the war time nuota-
tons. which in some cases in the
dealings between the corporation and
the allies of American went as high
as $50 a ton.
Mr.. Denman. it is understood. sery-
ed notice on Mr.. Farrell as represent
alive Of the steel interests that he
would advocate a Congressional in
vestigation of the industry if a fight
was made to force the government to