The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-11
THE IDAHO REPUBLICAN

me to talk. am doing this becaus
have just returned from the Altar
tic City convention Of war seryic
committees, and from the America
IN reference to government fixe
prices OF steel after January 1, sub
mitted to the war industries boar,
Yesterday and outlined in the morn
ing papers. The recommendations O
the steel institute includes a modes
reduction In the price of iron an,
steer after January and as the pro
bable trend of prices is important I,
the implement dealers of the countr,
l am going to review the condition.
surrounding the same as | see them
Government Control Of Implement
! Industry
Under the food bill and in accor
dance with the proclamation of thu
president of the United States. the
implement industry has been placed
under the supervision of the score.
tary of agriculture. This, together
with resolution Of the senate has
involved an Investigation of the i'm.
PIGMENT industry and it's prices by
the federal trade commission. Last
July certain members of the farm i'm.
PIGMENTS committee, the writer
among others, were called to Wash.
lngton by the federal trade commits
sion to discuss matters under inyesti-
cation. At that time the question
was actively before the people az to
the determination of the government
fixed price Of wheat for the 1919
crop. A bill was pending in congress
to nix this price at $3.50 and while
this agitation was on the president
announced the price as 1920 per
bushel, 1t being understood at the
time that as far as possible the price
OF articles which the farmer had to
purchase would be controlled against
advance. y
When we were before the federal
trade commission it was called to the
attention of that commission that
the prices Of implements maintain-
ing last july we're substantially the
same as those made in March, 1917
and that the increase in the cost of
transportation recently effected, the
large advance in labor and the in
crease In the cost of material in
volved Increases in the cost of i'm
PIGMENTS of approximately 20 per
cent since those prices were made.
This being understood, ways and
means were discussed to secure to
the implement industry relief, and
avoid any further advance in price,
AS result, members Of the farm i'm
plements committee interviewed Mr..
Replogle, director of iron and steel
OF the war industries board, who ar
ranged for meeting with the Amer
lean Iron and Steel Institute in New
Yokr City. This meeting took place
on the fifteenth of July with Mr..
Replogle present.
Reduction in Iron and Steel Prices to
Implement Industry
when the facts which have
stated were brought to the attention
of the iron and steel industry by the
farm implements committee and Mr..
Replogle 1t was finally determined |
by the steel institute to reduce the
price of steel for ipmlement manu.
facture $500 per ton, effective July |
Is. This reduced price has main
tanned since that time. During this
period and up to January / next the
government fixed price of steel is
$3.50 while the price Of implement
steel Is 1855, A little later a gov
ernment fixed price was determined
On malleable iron, which meant an
Increase over prices that had pre-
Vlously been paid Of something like
10000 ton. The farm implements
committee again became active and
,hru It's influence and the under
of the necessity of main
aiming favorable implement prices
o the farmers these radical ad-
'ances were avoided. While this
eft considerable amount of increased
'ost to be absorbed by the implement
industry, it still gave that industry
n opportunity to meet the govern
nent view and make substantially :
he same prices on implements for
he 1918 to 1919 season that had
maintained during the previous year.
t should be thoroly understood, how
yer, that the present price of imple-
nents is considerably less than the ,
resent markets would demand and 8
re only maintained because of the $
Preferential prices secured by the I
Implement industry on certain I
lasses Of its material and because of
he decreased profit which that in :
ustry is receiving that the farmers
light not be handicapped in secur-
lg tools to raise a maximum crop.
Price Reductions In Steel
The reduction in the price of steel
recommended to the war industries
oard and effective after January /
$500 per ton. This makes the
ew price Of steel, after January 1, II
enerally $2.70 per hundred against
present price of $500, But this
CIV price Of steel is still $1.00 a ton
[gher than the implement industry
as been Plying since the fifteenth of
st July. 1t will therefore be seen
lat the new price of steel does not
feet any saving in cost to the i'm
ement industry, but on the con-
airy is higher than the price we now
10y.
Future Trend of Prices