Norwich bulletin., 1919-08-09

because it was impossible to fore0ea what the market would disclose and dealers were determined to be ready for whatever might happen. as we'll as eager to reap the full advantage of rising prices. They will now see the disadvantage, as we'll as the danger. of holding off from the new process of distribution.
 Block Law Of Supply and Demand.
 Some very. interesting and signin- cant facts with regard to stocks on hand and the rise of prices in the face of abundance have been disclosed by the inquiries of the department of az the department of labor and the federal trade commission They seem to justify the statement that in the case of many necessary commodi- ties effective means have been found to prevent the normal operation of the law of supply and demand.
 Disregarding the surplus stocks in the hands of the government. there was greater supply of foodstuffs- in this country on June first of this year than at the same date last year.
 Abundance in Cold Storage.
 In the combined total of a number of the most important foods in dry and cold storage the excess is quite nineteen per cent. And yet prices on hand in June of this year. for ex- ample, was greater by nearly ten per cent. than the supply on hand at the same time last year and yet the] wholesale price was forty cents a dozen as against thirty cents a year ago. The stock of frozen fowls had
 increased more than two hundred and ninety eight per cent. and vet the price has risen also, from thirty four and half cents per pound to thirty seven and half cents. The supply of creamery butter had increased a hundred and twenty nine per cent and the price from forty one to fifty three cents per pound. The supply of salt beef had been augmented three per cent. and the price had gone up from thirty-four dollars a barrel to thirty six dollars a barrel. Canned corn had increased in stock nearly ed substantially the same in price: In a few foodstus the prices had de- cIined. but in nothing like the pro- portion in which the supply had in creased. For example. the stock of canned tomatoes had increa sed one and two per cent. and yet the price had declined only twenty five cents per. dozen cans. In some cases there had been the usual result of an increase of price following a decrease stance the increase Of price had been 70 the 2ecEease> sis, stock. l
 5,,, Combinations. Control Prices. ss
 The attorney general has been a careful study of the situa I sion as a whole and of the laws that can be applied to better it and Is con: I vinced that. under the stimulatioa' and of exceptional circuna $ stances, combinations of producefs and combinations of traders have been termed for the control of supplies and of prices which are clearly in re- strairt of trade. and against these i- tuted and actively pushed which will In all likelihood have a prompt corr rective effect. s-~@s- s.ssi,
 Leather, Coal, Lumber, Textiles.
 There is reason to believe that the prices. of leather, of coal. of lumber affected by forms of concert and CO operation among the producers and l marketers of these and other uniyer-3 | sally necessary commodities which it l will be possible to redress.
 No watchful or energetic efforts will 1 be spared to accomplish this neces- sary result I trust that there will not be many cases in which prosecution 1 will be necessary. Public action will f no doubt cause many who have per- haps unwittingly adopted illegal meth | ods to abandon them promptly and of | their own motion.
 Publicity an Aid.
 And publicity can accomplish . ! great deal. The purchaser can often | take care of himself if he knows the facts and influences he is dealing with !; | and purchasers are not disinclined to | to anything. either .singly or collec- lively, that may be necessary for their self protection. The department of | commerce, the department of asri- culture the department of labor, and | a great deal towards supplying the | public, systematically and at short in- with information regarding | the actual suppfE of particular comno-i dities that is in existence and avail | able, and with regard to suppliesi | which are in existence but not avail able because of hoarding, and with re- gard to the methods of price fxingi which are being used by dealers in certain foodstuffs and other neces- saries. fH ~s
 Retailers RespensihIe in PArt.
 There can be little doubt that re- tailers are in part-sometimes in 1argej for exorbitant prtc- | government, through the agencies I f have mentioned, to supply the public with full information as to the pricesi at which retailers buy and as to the costs of transportation they pay, in1 order that it may be known just what margin Of profit they are demanding.I Opinion and concerted action on thej part of purchasers can probably do the rest.
 Funds Needed For Inquiry.
 That is. these agencies may per- form this indispensable service pro- vided the congress will supply themI with the necessary funds to prose cute their inquiries and keep theifl price lists np to date. Hitherto the ap- committees of tho housest have nor @f~ays- fear, seen the full1 value of rhI>se inquiries and the de-i partfpents and ccr.misions have been very much SS.sais D tened for means to render this sexvsce. That adeouateI funds be pruvided by appropriation .forl his purposA and provided as promptly as possible, is enc of the means to greatly ameHoratfng the present dis .resstng conditions of livelihood that
 have come to urge. in this attempt to concert with you the best ways to ;erve the country in this emergency t is one of the absolutely. necessary means, underlying many others andf an be supplied ata once.
 tExistins L<,~ 5s inadequate.
 There are many other ways. Existinx