New-York tribune., 1919-11-15
Reckless Spending
Keeps Prices High.
Says L. :. Expert
Col. Friedman Unable 10
Fix Fair Quotations on
Clothing and Shoes: Hs
Urges " ork and Thrift

Urges v ork and Thrift
A wave OF reckless ex.ravasasc~ F.
partly responsible for b eh prices Col
onel Michael ii friedsau chairman of
the subcommittee on cl1 hing. saae.
and dry goods of thc fair Price CON
mittee. reported yesterday Ht NEE.
ing OF his committee a. thc Va dor
Astoria. with Francis G. CaiTey. rnitoe
states Attorney. Ihp rnenttne wa
he'd discuss the affect 81 the anti
prohteeTing amc ndment SO the Lever
act on the prices u the cornrnod tie
under the jurisdiction Of She sub-conl-
mittee
Colonel Friedsam sa q he dsd rot he
heTe IT was fscsab.e to Issue fai.
? zee list on clothing shoes and dr.
10 as. lie sad anpfehnnsiTe ir
ves cation had convinced nipa th.
m fe-a'lers were not oniy profteer
TX, bat were losing money There
Is every prospect. he said. thar ~.
price OF shoes viii ascend from com.
o'"e'ion OF urcontroi clrcum
sfancea- Retail dealers. be- said. werc
selhr- shoes az present a. prices be
low GO acement cost Retaif c!0,hinf
deaie.s have not made norma! prout
he SKI
ne paramount question. in mv
opln'on, during the coming season." h.
sad, WI NOT be one of price. bu.
rather the difficulty Of obtaining suf
hclent clothing ard shoes Our greas
est effort should be dedicated "a hold
ing prices where they are ~ present
Tor fear conditions tend -ownrd j,
natural advance
Blames High Labor Costs
He attributed soaring prices 70 bivf
lAoor costs, sue-normal tran portatiof
facilities, the frequency Of industrial
disputes and a certain re'axafion ;,
the world a. large" The nuhsc shout
not be led on false hopes of lowe,
prices, he declared
Another factor which nnx, D.,
reckoned with" he continued - tn
spirit Of extravaganza which Sem
10 be pervading the buying pubic Thi.
was natural outrrowfh o. ihe wa
and the sudden acquisition of larr,
buying power b. mary who were rre
Vlously accustomed % h4nd'lnr onl.
sn all 'rcr n
81 view of the pere~al ,.s..l,. .a.
oltlons o. industry and the reiativf
slowness with which the .-a nam. ,bsr
snels OF world trade are resusnter thol,
= normal junction. ! believe tha. an,
Al'e npt 70 Formulated a price lis, 70
C'Vthlng and shoes is Impossible Thu
CONN iltlce appreciates the fact that
IS ol course. pos sible for constitute.
authority a~@ifrariit 20 fN a r~,co ~.
gwen article. but such arhf,rar,
price hNing. with regard 90 clothing =.
noes aat tine and in view n
'he CONDITION walcn We all oro,. evfs
could result only ~ aucfua-son ~ 81
.uai Nalne OF materials ~ these good
~ n,e~i such a fixed pflcc IN The
"O.us' 'he 4uel'y of tha materials =
cicthlng or hoes wouid ne-essar-l, !
reduced II r. price wa mn NJ
OoVloVs y no one can hope 70 purrhas
tation." d" mi
competition Helps 60 Cut Prices
competition and advertisements i,
We were aidS N keeping Dr,ce
az ri'nlmrm he said. and closed 80,
the statement: W.
he c. need evcrvv ae-e 3e n-o
auction and more production Ths soi,,
tioh OF our question VIII moi como sro.
ueoa'e or proclamat ior l. WI D.
soiNeo by combination Of i,s- 49,.
lh'ngs work nrd thrift Work 4ircsr.
ana earnest, on the part Of e,,o,,. -.
Vi rs Whatever our station. una .hr,f
OF the part 81 the whole pub d, yrn'es
we can chefk me wave % eNtravego-c.
am AFRAID efforts on the part of sue
committees as thls would be fufiie
N'hers NAp attended the conferenc,
were GARRISON towIc. Of jaime.
Hearn q Co. Louis S ewart ~ 10
Mc1feety & CO.. N Ham 2 l..lnar
OF tohen. GO oman N Co.. frll Ven
or ;. "eiii & Son. JOHN Slater ot /
J. Siater, and jacob eppfber