Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-09

PRICES surplus stocks in private hands
will be drawn out Of storage and put
upon the market. Fortunately, under
the terms of the food control act the
boarding Of foodstcffs can he checked
and p -evented. and they will be. with
the greatest energy. Foodstuffs can
be dra En out Of storage and sold by
legal action which the Department of
Justice will institute wherever neces-
sary: but Sd soon as the situation is
systematically dealt with it is not
likely that the courts will often have
to be resortsed to. Much of the ac-
cumulating of stocks has no doubt
been due to the sort Of speculation
which always results from uncertain
ty. Great SURPRISES were accumulat-
ed because 1t was impossible to fore
see what the market would disclose
and dealers were determined to be
ready for whatever might happen, as
well as eager to reap the full advan-
tage OF rising prices. They will now
see the disadvantages. as well as the
danger, of holding of from the new
process OF distribution.
Significant Facts Disclosed.
Some very interesting and signif-
cant facts with regard to stocks on
hand and the rise of prices in the
face of abundance hasve been disclos-
ed by the inquiries of the Department
OF Agriculture. the Department Of
Labor and the Federal Trade Com
mission. They seem to justify the
statement that in the case OF many
necessary commodities effective means
NAL operation Of the law of supply
and demand. Disregsarding the sur
plus stocks in the hands Of the gov
eminent, there was greater supply
Of foodstuffs in this country on June
LIST OF this year than at the Same date
last year. In the combined total Of
a number Of the most important foods
in dry and cold storage the excess is
quite 10 per cent. And yet prices
on hand in June Of this year, Tor e1-
ample. was greater by nearly 10 per
cent than the supply on hand at the
same time last year, and yet the
wholesale price was 80 cents a dozen
as against 50 cents q year ago.
The stock Of frozen fowls had In
creased more than two hundred and
nintsty-eight per cent. and yet the
price, had risen also, from thirty-four
and q half cents per pound to thirty
seven and half cents. The supply
Of creamery butter had increased q
hundred and twenty nine per cent, ana
the price from forty-one. to nfty-three
cents per pound. The supply of salt
beef had been augmented three Per
cent. and tho price had gone mp from
Iii - " III -
sIA -, 1919 IL, . Son ~. 10
lncr 100 S"d ...ty
TALLY the same in price. In few food
stuffs. the prices. had declined, but in
nothing like the proportion in which
the Supply nau ncrea1eo: ror exam.
increased one hundred and two Der
cent, and yet the price had declined
only tWenty- ave Genus per Dozen cans.
In some cases there, mad been tho
usual result OF an Increase Of price
following decrease of supply. but In
price had been disproportionate to the
decrease in stock.
Attorney General Studies Situation
ing a careful study Of the situation as
a whole and Of the laws that can be ap-
piled to better 1t and 10 convinced that.
under the Stimulation and Temptation Of
Of producers and combinations OF trad
ers have been formed fer the control of
supplies and of prices which are clearly
in Restraint of trade. and aginst these
prosecutions will he promptly instituted
iil.elihood have 2 nrnnnnt Corrective AZ
fsct Ther. is rsa1on ~ hsI;eu,s that ~.
,,r;o., ~ Iaothar of ccal ~ lmyrh~r ora
OF textiles nave been matsr1any anectea
oS,,,,a 70. ,-eSucs-r snS rso,.Set.-s ~
+hasa .rS cts,ar ,,n;,.r.,Iiv nScs.s.-
cnn1n,oditie. wI,;cb r. ,viiI he nossihi. ~
redress Nm watctfuf mr. sneTxetic az
fort will be suared to accrnnnlfsh this
necessary result T trnst fi1at. fhere Win
NOT b. MANY cases in which prosecution
win be necessary. Public action will no
doubt cause many who have perhaps
unwittingly adopted illegal methods to
abandon them promptly and Of their
own motion.
And publicity can accomplish q
fants care and u inf,mancas be ne * kho Hss,ns
with. ana purchasers are not dish
tcnne6 70 90 dnytnlns. eitner slhSty
S 1r thn;r soif ,rntac my Th ne E
~ ~ Cnrnaroo ~. nana rtpset
~ Ayricn1tmra tba nartp',ant ~
Labor and the Federal Trade Com
mission can do a rreat deal toward
supplying the public. systematicaily
and at short intervals, with informa-
ton regarding the actual supply of
particular commodities that is in
existence and available. with regard
to Supplies which are In existence,
PUT not an tt,. Die, because D OF n4ard.
ing. ana Win regard 70 the metnoos
OF PIlc1 n1iMe waicn Are peins use9
o oy uesa anss.s M S ioooseuHs ana
o'T Thar meI can he Ttt;. a.,,,4 +h.t
20 iars &c ~ nsrtWsor,etiroe. ~ To-.
. nare ra.ni ~ p NV. ~
81 :. =. ,,.. q.
w s,,varnn,ent throns.h az. assncis.
800. ..ttonsd e. s,snn,,. ee,,S,so
,,i.a. I'm ;nfor,,stto,. tae punS
VIII tu,i a4o,ina. I as 70 tne priIes
At Whicn r.aS ouy ana az 70 ene
COSTS OF tIahepor taIion tney pay, IN
order tnas II nay pc knoWn JUST Wnats