The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-08-09

aoAfhs Us against ~ cents year
ago.
The stock OF frozen fowls had In.
creased more than 29s per cent, and
yet the price had risen also from
3lh cents per pound TO 97M cents.
The supply OF creamery butter had
increased i29 per cent. and the price
from Al TO 80 cents per pound.
The supply Of salt beef had been
augmented J per cent. and the price
had gone up from tsi barrel to
$50 "A barrel Canned corn had In.
creased In stock nearly % per cent.
and had remained substantially the
same In price.
In few foodstuffa the prices also
declined. but In nothing like the
proportion IN which the supply had
Increased. For example. the stock
OF canned tomatoes had increased
i02 per cent. and yet the price had
declined only 5 cents per dozen cans.
In some cases there has been the
usual result Of an increase OF price
following a decrease OF supply. but
In almost every instance the In.
crease OF price has been dlspropor.
tionate to the decrease In stock.
Studying the Laws
The attorney general has been
making a careful study OF the aitu.
alton as a whole and OF the laws
that can be applied to better IL. and
Is convinced that under the stlmu.
latlon and temptation OF excep-
tional eases combinations OF pro.
dueora and combinations Of traders
have been formed for the control
OF supplies and prices which are
clearly In rcstrglnt Of trade and
against these prosecutions will be
promptly instituted and actively
pushed. which viii in all likelihood
have a prompt corrective effect.
There Il reason 10 believe that
the prices OF leather. Of coal. OF
lumber and OF textiles have been
materially affected by forms Of con
cert and cooperation among the pro.
ducers and marketera OF these and
other universally necessary commod.
tiles which u will be possible 20 re-.
dress. No watrhfni or energetic e..
fort viii be spared TO accomplish
this necessary result
I trust that there viii not be many
eases In which prosecution will be
necessary. Public action win no
doubt cause many who have. perhaps
unwittlngiy. adopted illegal meth
DDS TO abandon them promptly and
Of their own motion.
And publicity can accomplish a
great deal The purchaser can often
take care OF himself u he knows the
facts and influences he In dealing
with. and purchasers are not dlsin'
elined TO do anything. either singly
or collectively. that may Dc ncccs
sary for their srlfproteciion.
The department % commerce. the
department OF agriculture. tho de-
PARTNER, Of labor and tho federal
trade commission can do a grea, deal
toward supplying the public. sys.
tcmaticaliy and at short Intervals.
with Information regarding the
actual supply Of particular oommod.
itics that f. In existence and avail.
able. with regard to supplies which
arc in existence but not available
because % boarding and with regard
TO the methods Of price fixing which
are being used BY dealers In Ger.
tain foodstuffs and other necessar.
les.
Retailers Are Blamed
There can be little doubt tina, re.
talicrs are In parts-somctimes In
large part-rcsponslblc for exorbiian,
prices. and II IL quite practicable for
the government. thru the agencies
have mentioned. to supply the pub
lie with full Information IA TO the
prices az which retailers buy and
as TO the costs OF transportation
they paid. In order that II may be
known just what margin OF profit
they are demanding. Opinion and
concerted action on the part Of pur.
chasers can probably do the rest.
That Is. those agencies may per.
form this indispensable service, pro.
ridcd the congress viii supply them
with the necessary funds 10 prose
cute their inquiries and keep their
price lists up to date. Hitherto the
appropriations committee Of the
house has not always. fear. seen
the fun value OF these Inquiries and
the departments and committee have
been very much straitencd for means
to render this service.
That adequate funds be provided
BY appropriation for this purpose
and provided as promptly az possible
Is one Of the means Of greatly
ameliora,ing the present distressing
conditions OF livelihood that ! have
come to urge In this attempt TO con.
cert with YOU the best ways TO serve
the country In this emergency. IL
is one OF the absolutely necessary
things. underlying many others. and
can be supplied AZ once.
There are many other ways. Ex-
isting law In inadequate. There are
many perfectly legitimate methods
by which the government cannot ex.
ercise restaint and guidance.
Extend Food Control
Let me urge I'm the first place that
the present food control act should
be extended both as 10 the period
Of time during which II shall remain
In operation and as to the commod.
tiles to which II shall apply. Its
provisions against boarding should
be made to apply not only 20 food.
but also to feedstuffs. TO fuel. TO
clothing and TO many other commod-
tiles which are indisputably neces.
saries OF life.
As II stands now. II Is limited in
| operation to the period of the war.
and becomes imperative upon the
formal proclamation OF peace. But
I should Judge that II was clearly
within the constitutional power OF
the congress TO make similar per.
manent provisions and regulations
with regard to all goods destined for
| interstate commerce and 10 exclude