Evening star., 1919-08-14
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FAvORS FAIR PRICE
ASSOCIATION HERE
Under Plan Wholesalers and
Retailers Agree to Stipu-
lated Margin of Profit.
DEALERS AND BUYERS
MAKE THE PROPOSAL.
Originated With Committee Named
by C. R. Wilson-Sellers to Or
ganize to Control Prices.


proved the plan for the creation of
a fair price association i'm the Dis
trict to be composed of food dealers,
wholesale and retail. who will agree
to sell by weekly fair-price list or
at stipulated margin of profit
The proposal originated yesterday
through the unanimous action of deal
ers and consumers composing the
fair-price committee appointed hy
Clarence r. Wilson. food admin
istrator. 1t was presented by Mr.
Wilson to the Attorney General TINS
morning. Assistant Attorney Genera
Ames also was called into the con-
Organization of the dealers for con-
trolling prices under the supervision
of the food administration VIII Dc
effected at a mass meeting to be held
the auditorium of Central High School:
Mr. Wilson's fair price committee VIII
meet tomorrow afternoon to make tho
necessary arrangements.
Emergency Organization.
The association will come into ex-
| istence to meet an emergency sltua-
! tion 1t will endeavor to check pro-
| fiteering in Washington while Con.
gress considers the advisability OF
passing the Commissioners bill creating
a fair price administrator or some otner
| measure designed to AFFORD permanent
relief from hign pNces.
It appeared likely today that the
! fair price committee would adopt
plan of marginal profits to be fol-
| lowed by the members of the FAR
Price Association in lieu of weekly
| fair price list The former method -
declared to be more practical and less
likely to be abused by unscrupuious
dealers. who. under price list sys-
TEN, could buy products of poor quail
| ity at reduced cost ana dispose OF
them at the maximum quotations car
ried on a fair price list.
i The food administrator and the
! Citizens Cooperative Buying League
held the spotlight of the local food
inquiry todaysas there was lgal IN
the Commissioners activitieS foilow-
ing the completion of their bill for a
/ food administrator, which is now be-
fore the Senate and House District
committees sef
Distributing Army Food.
| Delivery of the Army foods bought
by the league from the various Army
storehouses i'm the city to the nsh
market on Water street, began in
lively fashion this morning Toma-
| toes, corn. -four, beans and rice conf
posed the bulk of the shipments A
J. Driscoll, member of the league.
was in charge of checking off the de-
liveries.
"At the present rate We will have
all the supplies ordered by tomorrow
and can begin distribution to the
community centers. department stores
and other purchasing groups by Sat
urday or Monday" said Mr.. Driscoll
| .sThis means the food should find its
way into the homes of the city by not
later than Tuesday. No retail sales
will be made at the fish market,
which is being used exclusively as
storage place"
The league, of which E. ID. Atkinson
is chairman, will meet tonight at the
municipal building. to consider the
final distribution plans. 1t is likely
consideration will be given to the
placing of other orders for the Army
products. as the demand for the five
dollar cards, by which the foods are
obtained. is increasing daily.
! Health Officer Fowler has assured
Mr. Wilson that the fair price COM
mittee will have the full support of
! the health department in its efforts to
prevent prof1teering and enforce rea-
sonable prices. The health officer has
| instructed all the departments in
| structrs to keep a sharp lookout for
profiteering. One case already has
| been brought to Mr.. Wilson's atten-
ton and may be considered by the
fair price committee tomorrow.
Back Commissioners Bill.
The most effective weapon yet de-
signed for lowering living costs in
Wash: :ngton and checking profiteer-
ing is the Commissioners bill. sent to
Congress yesterday. authorizing the
appointment of fair price admins
traitor. according to opinions express
ed by many government of1cials and
consumers today.
profiteering a JOLT" said Commissioner
Brownlow.
Clarence r. Wilson discussed the
proposed legislation with his fair
price committee yesterday. Ii was
commented upon favorably by several
of the members.
Although the bill was prepared on
short notice by Corporation Counsel
Conrad H. Syme. the Commissioners
believe it is devoid of loopholes
cape
1t is elastic as well as explicit, and
this fact, it is believed. is the greateat
guarantee that IL can be applied with
practical effect. The bill empowers
the proposed administrator to regu-
late the prices of fuel and clothing as
well as Of food. But food will re
ceive attention first. IL the measure
goes through.
Measure Carries Teeth
Provisions for stiff fines and jail
sentences give the bill the teeth"
Commissioner Brownlow said il would
have. 1t is the hope of the Commits
sioners that the bill will be intro
duced in Congress and hearings be-
gun by the Senate and House District
committees with the least delay pos
sible. The Commissioners expect TO
be summoned to testify before the
committees.
That speculation in foodstuffs is re-
sponsible for the high prices obtain
ing in Washington and other cities is
the unanimous opinion of representa-
tives of the food industry who are
serving on Mr.. Wilson's fair price
committee. At yesterdays meeting
of the committee they sought to give
local dealers. for the most part.
clean bill of health.
Defend Retailers Here.
Washington has been "over select
ed" they claimed. as the place for at
tacking the retailer. 1t was charged
that persons and firms in New York.
Chicago and other large centers buy
Ccontinued on Third Pase.S
.-4-