Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-30

Rigid inquiry will follow all attempts
to increase prices TO commercial users
and hOuseholders.
Food administration will arbitrarily
fix prices If arbitration with dealers
shall fail.
HOuseholders may file protest against
any price jump moves by dealers.
lee at last years prices-ffty cents
hundred pounds for fifty pounds or
larger quantities. or sixty cents a hun
dred dred pounds for smaller quantities
--is assured I'm the city.
According to an official announcement
made today by the food administration
here, dealers who raise prices above this
figure will be open to investigation as
profiteers. Profteering will be defined
on the basis Of the trades profits in pre-
war years.
The present price--with few eXCop-
tions dealers are charging no moro than
the prices fixed at the close of last sum-
mer--is an advance Of ten cents over the
price at the beginning Of last summer,
and is due, ice men say, to AN increase
In costs Of conducting business.
The American Ice Company, one of
the largest concerns in the trade here,
sells at this price. The company an
nounced today that il contemplatcs no
advance over these figures.
No Price Change Allowed
Under the new order. sanction Of the
food administration must be obtained
before any changes in price shall be
made by ice dealers
Jay Cooke, United States food ad-
ministrator for Philadelphia, defines the
status of the order as affecting this city
I in the following statement:
"Tbe food administration is particu-
Iarly concerned that there shall be no
prohteering in ice for the future, and
especially that the cost of ice to that
portion of the community which is least
! able to protect itself shall not be in
) creased unless absolute proof can be
I given by ice companies as to such a ne
cessity.
"Any increase in price over that OF
last season to the household consumer
will, therefore, justify investigation as
to whether Il constitutes prOfteering
I and profteering will be defined on the
basis OF the trades profits in recent pre-
war years.
Must File Schedules
"All ice dealers will be required to file
! any proposed schedule of increased
J prices. together with cost and distribu-
! ton. before these increases are put into
! effect, and no increase TO the household
I consumer shall be made until after in
/ yestigation by the food administration.
/ ruling Is that in which provision shah
! he made with regard to unfair practices
/. and in any case of proposed increase in
price there will be an investigation of
the tendency to make unreasonab!y
z lower prices, production and distribu
tion costs considered, to commercial
4 users than to domestic consumers.
4 "The food administration recognizes
: the fact that the ice problem essentially
is a local one and it is net its purpose
TO intervene where local dealers do not
1 increase prices or where they come TO
an arrangement with municipal authori-
/ ties which shall be satisfactory both to
I dealer and consumer.
eff, however, such an arrangement
Z cannot be made between the ice dealers
and the local authorities in cases where
. an attempt Is made to unTeasonably in
crease the price of ice to the consumer
an Investigation will be made and an
attempt made to arbitrate such differ
ences. In case arbitration to settle a
! fair price fails then the administration
viii step in and in the interest Of rea-
Z sonable prices will exert all the power
; at its command and put the full force
/, Of the food laws In operation among the
: ice handlers in that locality.
"By the arbitration method between
: the local authorities and ice dealers ii
is believed there will be few cases where
: appeal to the food administration au
thorities will be necessary"