Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-08-22
FAIR PRICE PROBE
IS HELD Up HERE
BUSINESS MEN RESIGN FROM
COMMITTEE-ISSU STATE.
MENT TELLING WHY.

If Olympia is to have a fair price"
investigation and list, in conformity
with the proposal of United States
Attorney General Palmer, the ap-
pointment of new chairman and
almost an entire new committee by
the attorney general or the state food
administrator will be necessary, as
ounty Administrator Joe Reder and
other business men members of the
original committee rendered their
designations this week and Issued a
statement explaining their reasons.
This action was taken the fore
part of the week and telegram en-
bodying the views of the local men
was Immediately sent to the state ad.
ministrator. So far this has brought
no response from that official and it
is assumed that he has taken the sit
uation up with Attorney General
Palmer Inasmuch as other business
men approve the attitude taken by
those named on the original commit
tee here, the chances are that it will
be impossible to organize a commit.
tee in accordance with the attorney
generals suggestions.
In rendering their designations.
County Food Administrator Reader
and the committee issued this public
statement:
A few days ago there came to me
request from former Food Admins
traitor for the State of Washington,
Charles Hebberd, to assume again the
duties of the Office l held as food ad-
ministrator for Thurston county. and
under his instructions to formulate
fair price committees and to make
investigations into the prices that
were being charged for food. clothing.
fuel and other commodities in this
community. This committee was to
have no legal power. but was to inves-
tigate and turn over to the United
States attorney general any instances
of boarding or other violations of fed
eral acts which may have resulted in
increasing the cost of living
In accordance with these instruc-
tions l called meeting of the COM
mittee of men and women consisting
of grocer. dry goods merchant, a
shoe dealer, two representatives of Ia
Dor and one of the public in general.
and one of the farmers.
At this meeting 1t was decided that
the only thing this committee could
do under the powers given it was to
call before it the diffefent business
men of the city and ascertain if in
their belief the prices they were
charging were too high.
Since that time. however. the mem
bers of the committee who are mer-
chants. have been informed through
various channels that an investigation
carried on mainly by the merchants
themselves would be unsatisfactory to
the general public.
Desiring only to serve the best in
terests of all concerned and assuring
any committee that will undertake the
task of conducting the investigation
in Thurston county that they will
willingly give them such information
as they may desire, the following
merchants and representatives OF the
commercial interests of the city. join
with me in sending the following tel
egram to Mr.. Hebberd:
Believing it to be to the best in
terests of investigation that you ap-
point no merchants as members OF
board, siace much criticism is result
ing from this action. You will there
fore accept my resignation as the head
of the board in Thurston county. This
sentiment Is shared in by the mer-
chant members of the board"
JOS. REDER. Chairman.
H. B. FULTZ, Secretary.
The merchant members OF the
board who sign. are as follows:
M. Harris. dry goods; c. II. Bowen,
grocer; Glenn A. T. Powell, shoe
dealer.