Evening journal., 1919-01-18
NATION-NIDE WAR
ON PRICE FIXING
New York Exchange Pstl-
tions Government to Re-
store Normal Trading
PRESEN RATES AS
AID TO BOLSIiEVIsM

INV ARANhs Sdus 10 Il ltlition was
circulated yesterday on the Chicago
Board Of T.ade. calling upon Thomas
W. Gregory, Attorney General OF the
United States. to take action to prevent
"a recurrence Of this immoral and IL
legal price fixing" on hogs.
Members OF the New York Produce
Exchange, who received telegraphic
copies OF the vigorous document. say
that while the protest deals with but
one commodity. important In itself, II
foreshadows a nationwide movement
on the part OF men In the trade TO In
sist that governmental restrictions on
all trade be removed so that prices may
be determined. not by official dlctum,
but by the good old law OF supply and
demand. They blame Uncle sam for
keeping food prices up and insist he
must cut them.
Many Produce Exchange members are
so worked Up over the handicaps now
placed In the way Of business that they.
too. propose 10 circulate a petition
similar TO that OF the Chicago Boa d OF
Trade men, and conduct a campaign
designed 10 bring about relief from
conditions now operating which they
insist make dlfilcult what the consum-
ers Of the country now demand, namely,
lowering OF the high cost OF living
The petition Will be passed around for
signatures today.
Want Food on Proper Basis.
The produce men, like all other pa
triotlc citizens, did what the govern
ment expected them to while the war
was on and suppo ted the Food Ad-
ministration 10 make effective the ad-
ministrations slogan, Food VIII Win
the War"
Now that the war Is over and busi-
ness Is still tied down with various re-
strictions they are asking among others
the following questions, In the hope
that a way may be found to get the
price OF grains and other f0odstuns
down TO a rational basis:
Why should -four sell at si2 barrel
with more wheat and flour In the
United States than ever before In its
history, when under the law Of supply
and demand the price would not be
more than Sc a barrel2
Why should a government price OF
i7ik cents a hundred-welght for hogs
be maintained in view OF the fact that
the hog crop Is between 100000 and
qOOOOOO0 with a new pig crop coming
in March and April, and the fact that
our normal hog crop Is so OO0O002
What hope is there that foreign
countries, now that the war Is over,
will continue TO buy our wheat at
s226. the governments fixed price,
when Argentine wheat sold yesterday
at si2s&, and Australia and Canada
are prepared TO sell their wheat at 81
bushel under this country's fixed
pricef
/ Corn and Oats in List.
Why should the price Of corn, which
since 1915 sold at SO cents a bushel In
Chicago, be kept up by artificial meth
DDS (it closed in Chicago yesterday al
81 .36k cents a busher. and sell at 5!A
cents in Argentina, yesterdays quota
tion?
Why should the price OF oats. which
since the war sold in Chicago at 81 3-s
cents a bushel, be quoted at 6s ia
cents a bushel on the Chicago Board
OF Trade as the result OF official artifl-
cial boosting, with Argentine oats SELL
ing yesterday at 81 cents a blushel2
Why should consumers, representing
10 per cent. Of the country's popula-
tion. be taxed for the benefit OF the
farmers. representing 80 per cent. Of
the population, now that necessities OF
the war are over?
Why shouldn't Old High Cost OF Liv-
ing be hit a body blow by the exercise
OF plain. common sense and the re-
moval OF Governmental restrictions
that will return trade where II was
before the war and enable the law OF
supply and dsmand to determine what
thing Is worth?
There Is a pronounced feeling among
the men on the Produce Exchange that
II is the patriotic duty OF all TO work
hard and earnestly 10 bring about a
lower level Of prices In order that
sanity may be established In business
and that the great body OF consumers
may be rendered more content and
happy.
Some OF the more pessimistic predict
that unless prices are brought down by
the removal Of Government restrictions
there Is grave danger OF the establish
ment Of bread lines within few
months. Conditions now are almost
intolerable, they declare, and something
must be done soon TO remedy them.
The Chicago Board OF Trade men
took action TO stir up the Attorney
General besause January % Is set
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