The sun., 1919-08-26
SHOPS MAY CARRY
LOW PROFIT LINES
Suggestion Is Received Favor
ably at Meeting of Fried
sam subcommittee.
WHOLESALERS ALSO ACT
George Gordon Battle Named
by Smith to Investigate
Markets Council.
WHOLESALERS ALSO ACT

together In the waldorf-Astoria yester-
day afternoon to find a way to begin the
difficult task OF determining what can
be done to put dent In the upward ten
dency OF prices Of things which people
wear and to show the way for reducing
prices. If possible. The group comprised
the subcommittee on dry goods, cloth
ing and shoes Of the Fair Price Commit
tee appointed by Arthur Williams, Fed
eral Food Administrator for this city.
At the close of the session Mr.. WILL
Jams announced that the subcommittee
will try to eliminate any element OF
profiteering or fraud, and agree on GER
tain basic principles by which fair mar
gins Of profit can be placed on sales OF
dry goods, clothing and shoes.
The Thought was expressed at the
meeting" Mr.. Williams said, that the
members of the committee urge retail
stores to carry this winter a line of sim
pie but well made clothing and shoes
priced at a low margin Of profit, line
OF goods which dealer would vouch for
and on which the dealer would accept
less than his usual profit The line of
goods as suggested would apply to goods
for men, women and children. This is
an indication of fair dealing and patri-
otism."
May Make Special Lines.
Mr.. Williams also said that the sug-
gestion carried with It the idea that pos
sibly the manufacturers might make a
special line of goods for, this purpose.
Col. Michael Friedsam. president of
B. Altman & Co., chairman of the sub
committee, who was present when Mr..
Williams met the newspaper men, said
he had no statement to make.
Mr.. Williams explained that the COM
mittee was exploring a new country
and that the sub-committees which Col
Friedsam will appoint in a day or two
will take up the different lines of de-
tailed inquiry
Thomas w. Churchill, former presi-
dent of the Board Of Education, who IL
counsel to the subcommittee. explained
that hearings will be held at an early
date He added that offers to cooperate
in the investigation have been made by
the Retail Dry Goods Association. thu
Retail Shoe Dealers Association and the
Retail Cloth!ers Association.
Col. Friedsam's subcommittee, which
is inauguraung a venture never before
attempted in the dry goods clothing ant
shoe trade. is made up of the following
Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw and Mrs
Sara Conboy.
For the dry goods industry-Louis
Stewart. Sr.. president James McCreery
Co. Clarkson Cowl. president. James
A. Hearn & Son; 1sidor Saks. presiden,
Saks & Co.
For the clothing manufacturers-will-
lam e. Goldman. Clothing Manufactur'
ers' Association of New York and the
Arm, 0f Cafap Callahan a Co
For the shoe NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Well Of s. Well & Co.
For cloak and suit industry-A. s
Faber Of FabF & HeiA and jacob
Sperber "
For retail shoe dealers-John Slater OF
]. & ]. Slater and president of the Re-
tail Shoe Dealers Association.
For retail mems clothing - Morri:
Brill of Brill Bros.
William A. Orr, formerly secretary
to ex-Gov. Whitman, Is secretary of the
| subcommittee.
Mr.. Williams said he deeply appre'
ciated theNwiilingness Col Friedsam and
his associates in taking up the work.
The Federal Food Administration an.
| nounced with apparent pride last eve
ming that Louis Marshall. the>lawyer
had accepted the craftsmanship OF tht
subcommittee of the Fair Price Com
mittee which Is to serve as board OF
| arbitration to determine the fair price
at which Jewish bread Is to be sold ir
| this city Representative bakers re
Gently informed Mr.. Williams that they
couldn't possibly continue to sell bread
at cents a pound In view of the in.
creased cost Of baking, the biggest item
| of which is the wages paid to their EN-.
ployees.
WholesaIers to Set Margin.
A subcommittee OF the Fair Price Com
mittee. composed solely of wholesale fooC
dealers, Is now in the course OF forma
| ton as the result yesterday of a confer
ence which representative wholesaler
| had with Mr.. Williams. In a forma
statement concerning this conferenc,
Mr.. Williams said:
zone object will be TO set the margin
under which fair price list commodities
will be sold to retailers. II is posslbl,
that, Notwithstanding increased costs a
the present time. the wartime margins
will be adopted at least tentatively unit
they can be given fair trial and theil
effect studied upon our local food prices
The tender of help and cooperation II
| gratifying, coming as II did voluntaril,
, patriotic cooperation in the interest o.
| the people of our city"
Mrs. Charles C. Rumsey. chairman O.
the subcommittee on field activities o
the Fair Price Committee, said yesterda,
she believes that 10000 women in tn.
membership Of the Community Councils
will accept the invitation for service IL
the war against exorbtant food prices
Blank cards will be supplied to ever,
housewife who pledges herself to repor
excessive prices charged by nelghbor
hood grocers.
Gov. Smith at Albany designated yes
| terday George Gordon Battle of this cit,
as n Moreland commissioner to investi
gate the State Foods and Markets Coun
ell. This task was refused by the Gov
ernor's food price commissioners, for
1 mer Governor Glynn and DIR. John II
Finley and they suggested that ttfTf1
man be named to do the work as the,
would be too busy with other things
Mr.. Battle will proceed with the worl
| Immediately.
Senator Lockwood, chairman of tn
housing committee OF the Legislature
announced at Albany that cost expert
for his committee have found that on
of the artificial ice companies in New
York is making at $50 ton ice tina
is being retailed to the public at SIS
ton This same company is said to sci
this ice at wholesale at $500 a ton, NOR
than double the cost of the product.
! Senator Lockwood said the Haskin
and Sells accounting firm, which wa
I engaged by the United States War In
dustres Board in fixing the basis 70
cost plus contracts, is doing the ice &C
counting work for his committee. Tn