The Washington herald., 1918-05-03
WARNING GIVEN
ICEPROFITEER
BY FOOD HEADS
Prices Same as Last Year
Ordered Unless Good
Reason Shown.

Following closely on the announce
ment yesterday Of an increase In
the price Of Ice by q local ice dealer
the National Foed Administration
last night issued q warning to Ice
profiteers and served notice 1t would
not stand for any increase in prices.
Other dealers In the District II IL
understood. have . similar increase
in price in contemplation and COM
plants have been received by the
Food Administration from many other
communities regarding increased cost
of ice.
Action Of the Food Administration
was In anticipation of a general In
crease throughout the country which
Is deemed unwarranted by the admin
istration- Last winter. 1t is pointed
out was one which gave the most
favorable conditions for . bumper ma
tural Ice crop.
d. c. Probe Begun.
Clarence r. Wilson, Food Admins
TRAITOR for the District Of Columbia
hoo eAo AA4eNhSA VI kho LAACA oo1S8 AhA
local prices under advisement he said
yesterday and IL making Q thorough
investigation Of the situation. He
refused to discuss the question how
ever. until his Investigation Il COM
pleted. II '-.t :
A statement was sent out to all
State Food Administrators yesterday
by the National Food Administration,
declaring ANY increase in price over
that ruling last season to the house
hold consumer will Justify investiga-
ton as to whether It constitutes
profteering." The notice follows:
"The Food Administration II con-
cerned that there should be no prof
iteering in ice. and especially that the
cost OF ice to those elements Of the
community which are least able to
protect themselves should not be in
creased over last year unless abso-
lutte proof can be given by ice COM
panies as to the necessities.
Investigation Proposed.
ANY increase in price over that
ruling last season to the household
consumer will therefore justify IN
vestigation as to whether It consti-
tutes profiteering. AL ice dealers
should be required to file with you
any proposed schedule of increased
prices before these increases are put
into effect, and no increase to the
household consumer shall be made
until after investigation.
Your attention is called to. that
section Of the Food Control Act in
which provision is made with regard
In Nr
proposed increase in price you should
investigate the tendency to make un-
reasonably lower prices to CONNER
ers. considering at all times cost in
distribution. An unreasonable differ
ence would be an unfair practice.
''The ice problem is essentially a
local problem. and We do not wish
to interfere where local dealers do
not increase prices, or come to an
arrangement with municipal authori-
ties which Will be satisfactory to
both dealers and consumers.
If. however, such settlements
cannot be made by local authori-
ties In cases where there is an at
tempt to increase prices unreason-
ably we suggest that you investi-
gate and in the first instance en-
deavor to arbitrate q settlement.
Should this fail, please SO report
and then we are prepared, in the in
terest Of reasonable prices, to use
all the powers We have, including
that of license. in any given local
ity. and to place ice handlers in
that locality under the restraints
Of the food bill
Must Notify Dealers.
I'VE greatly hope that the mat
ter can be settled by local authori-
ties in all cases, and that as few
appeals as possible be made to you.
Notify local administrators to bring
to your attention any attempts at
increase in price. and notify all
dealers.
United States Food Administra-
| ton"
FARMERS TO CONFER