The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-16

Two motions with a view to reduc-
ing the high cost of living in Topeka
were adopted by the Topeka Mer-
chants association at a meeting with
the county fair price committee at
the Chamber of Commerce today
noon
The merchants pledged full CO.
operation with the fair price COM
mission, headed by w. H. Kemper, in
lowering living costs. The members
OF the association will be asked to cut
down their prices Immediately to as
narrow margin as possible and
meeting will be called directly after
Christmas to adopted a concrete plan
for lower prices.
Manufacturers Responsible.
In the second motion the Topeka
merchants association instructed Kan
sas consressmen and senators at
Washington to get busy on an, inVes-
tigatlou of manufacturers with a view
to reducing the H. G. of L. The mer-
chants held the manufacturers as
mainly responsible for the high prices
now existing.
Committee Called Meeting.
The meeting of the leading business
men of the city was called at the in
stigaion of the fair price committee,
which presented a plan of price reduc-
tion for consideration by the mer-
chants This plan, in effect, was that
the merchants should agree to reduce
their profits. after deducting overhead
expenses to two per cent net profit.
Leading merchants, among them z. H.
Crosby of Crosby Bros. criticized this
plan as utterly impractical in view of
the hazards big business must take in
the purchase of goods. Kemper ex-
planned that he had introduced the
plan merely as working basis for six
months trial. A definite plan prob
ably will be considered by the mer-
chants themselves at their meeting
after Christmas.
All the merchants present expressed
their earnest desire to reduce prices.
They frankly admitted that many ar
ticles were selling for far more than
they were worth, but laid RESPONSE
bility for this at the feet of the manu-
faCturer and the commission man.
Fear Wholesale Reduction.
They also expressed their fear that,
should the manufacturer reduce his
prices all of a sudden as they expect
him to do. they would be forced to the
wall unless they had a surplus to
meet it.
Kansas to Lead.
kemper made a forcefuI speech to
the meeting. declaring that the agita-
ton Cor lower prices must be started
at the bottom and finally crystalline in
Washington and that Kansas, already
in the limelight the mine question,
should remain there by starting the
downfall of the profiteer. The fair
price chairman emphasized in this re-
spect that he did not accuse any of
the big Topeka merchants of being
profiteers.
a. p. McKown. chairman of the
Merchants association, at the close of
today's meeting said he believed great
benefit had resulted from the dis
cussion. He asked the fair price COM
mission to give the merchants time to
absorb their proposal and that they
Christmas rush. in the meantime cut
tins down their profits to a minimum.
The following firms were repre-
sented at today's meeting:
Crosby Brothers, Pelletiers. Palace
Clothing company. Connors Furniture
company, Voiland EngeI Clothing
company. Payne Shoe company, F,ma-
hizer Spielman Furniture company
Warren NJ. Crosby Dry Goods com
pany. Crockett Department store
Partisan Suit company. Harlin Cloth
ing company. Fullerton Hardware
company and Rutter Furniture COM
pany.
Public Wants Best
The merchants declared they have
cheap goods but the public viii not
buy anything but the best now. Some
OF the merchants gave instances of
selling articles at an actual loss one
telling of a hat for which he paid
S22.5o and which he sold for $500.
Economy Sale Plan.
a. P. McKOwn. of the PelIetier
store. read the following plan of the
government for Economy Sales" to
the conference:
The United States government. thru the
department of justice. has proposed TO the
retailers of the country that they iuaugu-
rate a series Of economy sales" as n
means Of reducing the high-cost- of living
The National Retail Dry Goods associa-
tion has heen called in to aid in this
movement and a meeting of sales mana