New-York tribune., 1918-09-24
Government Appoints Com.
mittee to Investigate
Entire Situation
Second Board Named
Controls Distribution
President Will Set Charge
on All Staples Needed
for War Purposes

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S. First
steps looking to the fixing of prices
for standard grades of raw cotton were
taken to-day by the government in the
waning Of two committees. one to in
vestigate the entire cotton situation
and the other to control during the
period OF this inquiry the distribution
OF cotton by purchasing all of the
staple needed by the United States and
the Allies at prices to be approved BY
the President.
Thomas W. Page, vice chairman of
the Tariff Commission, was named
chairman of the committee of inquiry
which is TO hold hearings over the cot
,on growing states. The other men,
bers are W. r. Beattie. Greenville. S.
C.. president of the Piedmont Manu-
featuring Company; r. l.. Bennett,
Paris, Tex, cotton grower; Ward NJ.
Burgess. Omaha. retail merchant; Ed
ward Farnham Green, Boston. former
president of the National Association
Of Cotton manufacturers; J. c. Red
mon. St. Mathews, S. c., cotton grow
Ah
cotton grower, and S. w. Weis, New
Orleans. cotton factor, D. S. Murphy,
OF the Federal Bureau of Markets, will
be secretary of the committee.
The members of the committee to
purchase for the government and the
Allies are:
Charles J. Brand. of the Department
OF Agriculture, chairman; William NJ.
Clayton, Houston. Tex. member of
large cotton firm operating in Texas
and Oklahoma; j. Temple Gwatmey,
New York member of large cotton
firm with branches in many cities, and
Edward II. Inman, Atlanta. Ga, former
cotton merchant, now acting as pur-
chssing agent for the government.
Before the War Industries Board
made public the personnel of the COM
mitIees Senators and Representatives
from the Southern cotton growing
states met with members of the Cotton
States Marketing Board to discuss the
proposed price fixing. The conference
adopted & resolution setting forth that
Il opposed price fixing in principle and
appointed a committee to represent the
facts to the government committee of
inquiry in an effort to convince it that
price fixing is not pecessary.
Members Quit Business
The War Industries Board announced
that William l.. Clayton, J. Temple
Gwsthmey and Edward H. Inman will
dsassociate themselves from their
business and will remain so disasso-
ciated as long as they continue in the
service of the government as members
Of the Committee on Distribution Of
Cotton.
The Committee of Inquiry. it was
announced, already has met and fully
discussed the cotton situation and
adopted this resolutions:
Resolved. That the committee on
cotton distribution be authorized imme
dlately tc allot cotton as to quantity
and grade to all domestic and foreign
consumers, and that they also be
authorized to buy cotton, if and when
necessary, for the requirements of the
United States and Allied governments.
Will Stabilize Prices
Resolved further, That the cotton
committee feels that this will have an
important effect in stabilizing prices
but in the meantime they will keen in
touch with the whole situation, with
vie" to determining the effect OF this
sc'lon and whether price fixing or any
otner measure will be necessary
Last Tuesday reprcs IN Con-
eress from cotton growing states, head
cd by Senator Smith, of South Carolina,
protested to the President against the
fxlne OF any price for cotton This ac-
'lon came after the President had ex-
piained the purpose for which the two
cotton committees would be appointed.
The purpose of the committee of in
curry, the President said, would be to
threaten the channels of distribution
80 thai use could be made of the great
STOCK Of grades of cotton which now
practically are unmarketable, elimina-
non OF boarding and speculation and
apport'onment Of foreign orders He
added that it might be part Of this
committees duty to recommend basic
nrlces 1rl cotton