The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-11
new INDUSTRIAL
BOARDS PLANS
viii Try to Help Business to
Readjust Itself to
| Lower Prices
WILL PROTECT LABOR
WAGE REDUCTIONS
Manufacturing Prices To Be Reduced
Before Wages Are Affected Hopes
to Get Unhampered Operation of Law
of Supply and Demand.

OF supply anu Demand.
. WASHINGTON, March ll--Reduction
in the cost of living, a. corresponding
drop in the price OF labor which viii not
Interfere with American standards and
ideals, and finally, a situation where there
operation of the law of supply and de-
mafd, are some of the results which it
is hoped to achieve because Of the Cow
ernment's participation in the reconstruc-
ton work through the medium of the
industrial board of the department oil
commerce, according to an official state
defense, under the authority Of the board.
The full personnel OF the hoard, OF
which George n Peck of Moline, ILL.,, for
merry associated with the war industries
board and vice-president of Deere and
company, is chairman, is announced and
a comprehensive survey of the situation
given, along with answers to q number
of the arguments which have been brought
forward III opposition To government ,ili-
teryention In the rehabilitation plans
An important point which is brought
out in the latter connection relates to the
attitude which the governments indus
trial board-an organization which, how
ever, will have no mandatory powers
is prepared to assume in, solving the prob
lem of shutting off production in cases
where war prices were fixed at such a
+ lar 20 l,frh
cost and by ineffieient producers The
reply given in the official statement IS
sued states: )
| This production Is not needed in peace.
The American people cannot be expected
to support inefficiency in the enterprises
/ that serve them with the necessaries OF
/! HE or to maintain production not nor
mally needed. Inflated production above
that which would be supported by the
law of supply and demand must cease.
1t is assumed in the authorized state.
ment that during the early stages of re
construction, while the problem of stabiE
izing the various markets in its most
difficult stage and before the Law, OF sup
ply ard demand can hope to apply auto
matically with success, that industries
will bear the brunt of the financial bur
den and not look to labor to make sever,
sacrifices. Food supplies are name,
among those where it is. felt the early
efforts must be made 10 bring down tn,
!; prices to the consumers Dealing will
results to be achieved the statement says
Basic commodities such as steel. build
ing materials, textile, and food will b
considered first and brought to a stapl
basis. The governmental policy, as Ok
+ pressed by the bin to authorize purehas
: by the government OF wheat at the guar
anteed. price and resale Of it at the work
price, is to assist in bringing prices q
basic commodities to normally by brins
ing down the cost of living. It is hope
, that these steps alone win automaticall
operate 10 reduce the price OF fabricate
articles. If they do not do so in any pan
! tleular case, the industry affected will b
! invited into conference.
= As soon asa stable and wholesom
: scale of prices is achieved the cost of III
{ ing viii have SO far been reduced as {
!, create automatically reductions in tn
!. price Of labor without interfering wit
American standards and ideals, for Ii
> treatment and living conditions of laho
and thus the last, initiating element wi
: believed that industry win agree tn;
! the cost of living must be substantial
! reduced before labor should be expecte
j 70 accept lower wages, and thus industl
;. ~hould stand the FIRST shock of rc-adius
ment. q
Tho assurance to the country OF
: market stabilized at the: lowest reaso
s bly exneeted level viii loose such foo
:. OF buying for the recreation OF stock
:. the making up of arrears in the buildii
! program, the feeding of needs loi
= starved by economy and the iiyersi,
Of world markets as may stand unprec
dented in this country. From the stab
level thus reached by cooperation '
may~ expect a healthy and normal conC
ton created BY the complete and unhal
pered operation of the law of supply al
demand
$ The completed personnel Of the indust
i board includes the following member
n addition to Chairman Peck: Sanu
T. Bush, Columbus, Ohio, president Buc
, we Steel Castings Company; Anthol
Caminetti, Washington, ID. G., comm
sioner general Of immigration, departing
lof labor; Thomas X Glenn, Atlani
: Ca. president Atlantic Steel compan
ii George r. James, Memphis, Tenn. pre-
d lent William Il. Moore Dry Goods co
s pany: T. c. Powell. Cincinnati, Oh
director capital expenditures commit
ly. JTrited States railroad administration
The board summarizes the situation
r follows: Cal Commercial stocks are
Melted: tb) there Is plenty of monf
1t fel building and construction are seve
p. Years in arrears OF necessity: Id a Il
n, neriod of enforced economy is greatly
MS lieved, and (el markets are in prosp
IS, in all parts of the world
ed Still in face of this situation. it is h
re- that buying is limited; money, is a
timid and remains in banks; some m
and factories are idle; few are rum
full; construction of pubic and priv
works has not begun and noE-employ1n
is spreading.
'War-required production ahnorm'
increased generally and abortively
creased respecting certain commodities
pecially needed for war;" the staten