The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-04
GOVERNMENT WILL . CONTROL PRICE OF WEARING APPAREL Regulation of Shoe Prices Only First Step in Con-
 trol Policy
FAIR PRICES WILL
 BE GUARANTEED
Flair Price" Ia Explained as Ons That Allows Profit Equivalent to Normal Profit in
 Normal Times

Washington, October 3.
 Prices and distribution of prac- ltically all articles of wearing apparel are to be controlled by the war industries board. Reg ulations issued yesterday pre- scribing certain fixed prices
 for shoes constituted only the
 first step in a general policy for price control of clothing. This was disclosed today by Chairman
 Baruch of the board in an address at a special meeting of the National Re- tail Dry Goods association. Referring to the putting into effect of the agree
 nient between the board and the shoe in dustry. Mir. Baruch said:
 After that will have to come the reg
 ulation and dstribution of most all of the things which you gentlemen have to
 deal with. I don't want you to say 1t
 can't be done, because 1t must be done Tt is unthinkable that only the man with the longest pocketbook can get the things that he needs"
 The dry goods retailers were called upon by Chairman Baruch to take the
 product of "the manufacturer who, to
 some extent, has hIs prices regulated and limited amounts allocated to him." with the determination to distribute Fin some fair and equitable way, seeing that as far as possible each individual gets his share and gets it at price that is fair"
 DIFFICULT QUESTION When it comes to tlsb question of a fair price," MT. Baruch continued that is very difficult to answer I should say
 roughly that fair price is price some- thing like the normal profits in normal times know you will all say that these
 are abnormal times. They are, and we
 have got to do abnormal and new things" To meet tho request that representa- tives be chosen to confer with the war industries board in matters of distribu- tion and price control. the association appointed war service committee com
 posed of William Mann, Chicago: George W. Milton, Chicago; s. w. Reyburn, New York; F. H. Rike, Dayton. Ohio: Oscar E. Webber, Detroit. and Francis Kilduff, LaSalle, Ill.
 Though no details of the plan to be followed in controlling clothing prices has been announced by the board, it is believed the general policy adopted in fixing prices of shoes will be followed. STANDARD GRADES Standard prices for standard grades of mems and women's suits. hats and other articles of clothing probably will be es- tablished by agreement with rnanufac- turers and retailers
 By the agreement reached by the board and the shoe industry, additional details of which were made public to- day, the programme and styles of shoes
 under the regulated price plan will con form to that announced by the board in June whereby both styles and colors were restricted A number of manufac- tLrers have already started work on the standardized grades
 To prevent loss to manufacturers of hIgh-priced shoes. the agreement provides that shoes retailing for more than sl2.
 the maximum fixed price, which already have been manufactured, may be sold until June l. 1919. After that date it sill be impossible to buy ready-made sfoes for more than SIP. For low shoes of the type usually worn in the summer months the maximum price will be $1L Prices of rsl.len's shoes, which were lnot announesd yesterday, will be as fol. laws. for the class A or highest g.ade: Bovs misses aud ;ouths, s650 to s7 and E f,. title gents so to g; inrants s4 to $. and babies s2 to s35J. For the medium anl low priced grades in the four dr- visions the pr css wilt be accordingly.