The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-09
Cost Of Living Is
To Fall Gradually

High Prices and HiwA Wage. to Adjust
Themselves to Changed Conaitions.
Washington. Dec. s.-Will the cost
of living come down as the result OF
the wars end?
Answer to this question Is not readily
to be found in Washington Officials
who have been In close touch with the
governments price-nxing policies will
not be quoted on the tendency Of prices
OF commodities
A survey of the situation, SO far as
II can be appraised here, however.
leads to the conclusion that there win
be a gradual softening Of the market
generally more pronounced in some
lines than In othera This movement
has already set in. Robert s. BROOK
In gs, chairman Of the price-hxinG COM
mittee of the war industries board said
today that he would make no state
ment, while he still occupied the OIL
eial position. He said. however. that
while he had seen no evidence OF soft
ening of the market in such staple COM
modities as steel and copper there
might be a different situation in the
textiles
He Significantly added that the ten
dency doubtless would be to maintain
tAiQe8 As long Ms pOSSlpio
Or. r. W. Taussig. chairman OF the
United States tariff commission and
member OF the price fixing COMMITTEES
OF the war Industries board. said; II
lewuuid not care to mako any guesseS
ebe ut the probable course OF prtces."y
When asked whether he would care
10 make public any Information on the
subject which he had gained In his ofti-
ctal capacity he said that II he had
any he would be glad to be quoted.
stuart Has NothiaG to Say.
Henry c. Stuart. former governor OF
Virginia. another member OF the com
mittee said that he preferred not to
talk at this lime y. = e..-'ttI
The outstanding fact. however, Is
that the government Is out of the mar
Net for a great number and great vol
rme Of the things that are OF general
consumption.
Secretary Of War Baker has told
congress that over 100000 600 worth
OF material that the army alone had
planned to purchase need not be
bought.
Tho effect upon wooden clothing, for
instance. may be Appropriated when il
| Is taken into consideration that accord
t Ing to the figures Of the bureau of mar
| kets Of the department. of agriculture.
81 per cent OF the large looms in the
country were absorbed on November ]
| In turning goods for government ae-
count. Newspaper advertising already
Is showing lower prices for mems and
wcmens apparel.
| Another tendency to lower prices
pointed to here Is the freeing OF indus
! try from government restriction. max
Ing II incumbent upon many lines Of
manufacture to seek the market in open
competition.
! while the country was at war the
output Of many factories was entirely
| absorbed by the government At high
| prices and with the imitation Of credits
as pointed out by the federal reserve
board upon the part of the public to
pay whatever WAS necessary for the
things the public demands.
- Bleunainsas CAal I.evveE.
The extraordinary demand for fuel
for plants working upon munition or
other government requirements is
pointed to as being considerably re-
Taxed. with necessary tendency to
lower priceSD Bituminous prices west
OF Pittsburg have been below the gov
eminent maximums for several weeks
On the otier hand. the government
i has again guaranteed the price OF
| wheat for tho 1919 crop; there 10 an
enormous demand from Europe for
foodstuYs. greater than ever: II is gen.
orally asserted that Europe will also
require vast quantities Of materials for
rebuilding and restoring the devastated
areas and the renewal Of building con-
struction and public works in this
country. under ban during the war.
, is expected TO be absorbed and keep
high prices tor all sorts OF building
material.
j These demands. therefore. Il Is
pointed out, will have n steadying ef-
! feet upon the general market and tend
to make tho cost Of living decrease
gradually. But Il IL pointed out. the
iInalatent dAmAlad1A of Har- which made
the production OF materials necessary
almost without regard to cost, have
passed.: industry and commerce have
been largely freed already to restore
competitive conditions. and thus nor
NAL instead Of abnormal conditions.
This 10 said 70 be true OF world COM
. naerce ~ wen. While Mr.. Hoover has
told the Americn people thst they must
! practically double tho amount Of food
/ next ysar tor Europe. Europe IL nat
urAliy expecting to buy where she can
i tendency to keep rrices down were
II not for stili another tactor. the
shortage 81 TONNAGE In which tc move
the commerce Of the world.
! with ship tonnage about .s,100.oA0
tons below the level It would naturally
have been had there been no sinking;
tby submarines, II Is pointed out that
even " Australia. South America ard
| the rest Of the productive world had
/ ! plethora Of supplies Of which rcu-
sope IL IN the d!xest need, II would still
be very dt6tcuit to transport t,ern.
! So far ass.wa8es Of labor are con-
cerntd. o&iciAls poiht out that tbs nd
lg5sla..