The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-27
Army's Large Surplus of
Household Commodities
and Clothing Soon to Be
Made Available to Con-
sumers Throughout the
Nation

By Associated Press
Washington, August 26.-
Further steps to bring down
soaring prices were taken to-
day by the government, the
war department announcing
plans for opening retail stores
in a number of cities through
which surplus household COM
modities and clothing will be
made available to consumers
throughout the. country.
Meantime congressional committees
continued consideration of the legisla-
ton designed to reduce the high cost
of living. This included amendments
to the food control act to punish profit
teering and boarding; bills to regulate
cold storage and appropriations for the
federal trade commission to investi-
the public.
Through the retail stores to be
opened by the war department. the
army's large surplus stocks of
socks, underwear, shirts. raincoats,
blankets. gloves, tobacco, soap
and other household commodities
will be sold.
Consumers in the large cities where
the stores will be operated will be able
to purchase over the counter, but the
stocks also will be made available to
persons in other communities through
the parcel post.
PRICE TO BE LOW
Price lists are being prepared and
these will be furnished to all<post Of
fees for the convenience of the plblic
While no announcement has yet been
made, it is expected that the prices.
like those on the food stuffs now be-
ing disposed of, will be considerably
below the prevailing market.
Present plans are to open stores in
the fourteen zone supply centers and
it is expected that in the sections of
the country in which large areas are
embraced in zone boundaries additional
cities will be selected as sale centers.
Amendments to the wartime food
control bill recommended by Attorney
General Palmer were ordered favor
ably reported to the Senate by the ag-
riculture committee tonight. Two new
amendments were accepted by the
committee. one offered by Senator
Smith. democrat Georgia. legalizing
the organization of fair price commits
sions, and another by Senator Har-
rison, democrat, Mississippi providing
for reasonable regulation of rents in
the District of Columbia.
In considering legislation for regu-
lating cold storage. the House agri-
culture committee heard several wit
nesses. DIR. Harvey w. Wiley, formerly
chief of the bureau of chemistry, told
the committee shortage of products
should not be uniform. but should
depend on the fod stored Fish
and eggs, he said, could not be stored
without material deterioration, while
meats and other foods were improved
by storage.
national apple shippers association,
while not opposed to the suggested
limit of twelve months for storage of
foodstuffs. said production would be
stifled if fruits and vegetables could
not be returned to storage if they be-
came drug on the market.
BOARDING TESTIMONY GIVEN
Testimony regarding profiteering
and boarding in many of the basic in
dustries was given to the House ap
preparations committee, which was
considering applications for the Fed
eral Trade Commission. Commission
ers William B. Colver and Victor Muir
dock were witnesses.
Mr.. Colyer told of numerous resales
of the 1919 vegetable pack which is not
yet completed and said many of these
were made for speculative purposes. He
suggested that this condition be cor
rected by enactment of appropriate leg
islation.
Department of justice officials today
refused to accept the compromise pro-
posed by members of the Senate agri-
culture committee on amendments to
the food control act to penalize profit
teering.
Senator Smith, democrat Georgia,
author of the compromise plan which
would apply the proposed penalties for
sale beyond the. fair price" standards
only in case of combinations Of dealers.
said he would press the compromise
plan despite objections of Assistant
Attorney General Ames. The depart
ment of justice. Senator Smith said, in
sists upon adoption Of the profiteering
penalties approved recently by the
House, declaring the compromise
amendment would make the depart
ments authority doubtful.