Bisbee daily review., 1919-04-12
DECISION
ON PRICES
IS AWAITED
Hines Issues New Statement
Scoring Attitude Taken by
Head of Industrial Board
President Wilson Answer to
Cabled Request for Deci-
sion to Settle Rate Row

WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE gov
ernment's attempt to stabilize prices
and stimulate trade through the in
dustrial board of the department of
commerce now waits the decision of
President Wilson.
Secretary Redfield, after two con-
ferences today with Chairman Peek
of the board, Assistant Secretary
Sweet, and Solicitor Thurman, cabled
the president a statement of the sit
uation arising from the refusal of the
railroad administration to accept new
steel prices arranged by the board,
on the ground that they were too
high. the secretary asked the presi
dent. to indicate whether the board
sould disband at once or continue in
existence until the president returns
from Paris and policy can be for
mulated.
Hines Cables Wilson
Director General Hines also is un-
derstood to have cabled the president
a statement of his attitude in the
dispute and in a statement said the
matter had come to the question of
whether the railroad administration
should approve prices believed to be
excessive question which he had
decided in the negative.
To request of Secretary Redfield
for a decision on the difference be-
tween Mr.. Peek and Mr.. Hines, the
secretary said it was not and never
had been the purpoes of the board to
force any government purchasing
agency to accept the prices arranged
by it.
Until the president replies, the
board will remain quiescent No con-
ferences will be held with representa-
tives of industry and no new prices
on lumber, brick, cement and other
commodities, which have been under
consideration, will be announced.
Charging that the industrial board
had initiated an industrial policy
which was not set up by the govern
ment, Director General Hines in his
statement tonight generally criticized
the boards "insistence" that the rail-
road administration buy at the agreed
prices below which the general public
ought not to wish to buy during the
rest OF fhis calendar year"
"Mr. Peek says that the govern
ment has set up an industrial poncy
with one hand and torn it down win
the other" said Mr.. Hines 1.-THE fact
is, however, that the industrial policy
which has been interfered with is one
which was not set up by the govern
ment, but appears through some mis-
conception to have been initiated by
the industrial board itself. The policy
which was authorized was the estab-
fishing of a committee which would
endeavor to bring government pur-
chasing agencies and producers of
certain commodities together, by vos-
untary action, on reduced prices at
which the government purchasing
agencies would be justified in buying
freely.
"Mr Peek. instead of attempting to
carry out this specific policy, entered
despite the railroad administration S
notification that it would not agree to
buy at the prices proposed. upon q
! different policy OF fixing prices with
a virtual insistence that the railroad
| administration must buy at these
prices regardless OF its judgment"
The director general said that kr
Peek's alarm that the steel interests
OF the country might be subjected tC
the monopolistic buying power Of the
railroad administration was unwar
|