The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-04-12
ZINES CHANGES
PEEK ASSUMED
FALSE POSITION
eriticizes Industrial Board
Head for Position He
nov Up TO WILSON
ALI Sides Of Famous Con.
troversy Have Sent
Messages.
|N)N UP TO WILSON

efument's attempt to stabilize prices
and stimulate industry through the
INDUSTRIAL board OF the Department OF
Commerce now awaits on word from
President Wilson.
Secretary Redfield after two confer
ences today with Chairman Peek OF
the oard, Assistant Secretary Sweet
Il md Solicitor Thurman cabled the
President statement of the situation
xrisiAg from the refusal of the rail-
road administration to accept new
steel prices arranged by the board on
the ground that they were too high
the secretary asked the Pres dent to
Indicate whether the board should dis
band at once or continue in existence
tintil the President returns from Paris
aad . policy can be formulated.
Director General Hines also is un'
4 derstood to have cabled the President
3 aletatemeHt of his attitude in the dis
n1te and n statement said the mat
4 ter had come to the question OF wheth-
Sr the railroad administration should
approve prices believed to be excessive
= question which he had decided in
the negative.
No request was made by Secretary
RedfieId for decision on the differ
ences between Mr.. Peek and Mr. Hin
es. The secretary emphat cally said
5 Il was not and never had been the pur-
rose Of. the board to force any govern
= ment purchasing agency to accept the
prices arranged by it.
Until the President replies, the board
viii remain quiescent. No conference
viii be held with the representatives
oi iedustry and no new prices on lum.
6 Der. brick, cement or other commod,
itieS VIII CHI have been under consider.
ation will be announced.
Charging that the industrial board
had initiated an industry policy which
was not get up by the government, Di-
rector General Hines in his statement
tonight not only or ticized the board
ifsistence that the railroad administra-
tion buy at the agreed prices but also
said that the board had even proposed
the prices as being prices below which
the general public ought not to expect
Z. 10 buy durt1g the rest Of this calendar
Mr.. Peek says that the government
has set up an industrial pol cy with
one hand and torn it down with the 9th
81. Z. said Mr.. Hines. The fact is. how
ever, that the industrial policy which
has been interferred with is one
which was not set up by the govern
ment but appears through some mis-
X conception to have been initiated by
the Industrial board itself. The policy
which was authorized by the govern
tpent was the policy of establishing a
coMmittAe which would endeavor to
bring government purchasing agencies
including the railroad administration
and producers OF certain commodities
together by voluntary action on re.
duced prices at which the government
purchasing agencies including the rail.
road administration would be justified
In buying freely.
Mr.. Peck instead Of attempting to
carry ont this specific policy entered
despite the railroad Administrations
alton that 1t would not agree to
buy at the prices proposed. upon a
very different policy Of fixing prices
with virtual insistence that the rail.
road administration must buy at the
prices proposed, upon very differ
eilt policy Of fixing prices with vir
tnai insistence that the railroad ad-
Z minfstration must buy at those prices
regardIess Of its judgment. His cause
!of chagrin at the present time is that
! the policy thus set up without govern
ment authority is not supported by the
Iarailroad administration as to steel.
when the railroad administration is
{ convinced that these prices are e1ces-
ssive.
The director general said that Mr..
Peek's alarm that the steel interests
pf the country might be subjected to
the monopolistic buying power of the
Failroad administrator was unwar-
fanted.
IS ssOne OF the gravest causes Of con-
sIeemgto the people Of this country for
MANY years" said Mr.. Hines. "has
been the persistent suspicion that the
country was subjected to the menace
of q monopolistic sellin power on the
part Of steel interests and therefore I
do not share Mr.. Peek's alarm that
1hk railroad administrators purchas.
ing power OF steel will be prejudicial
10 tie public interest.
After all is said /" the statement
eonclnded. the matter comes down TO
he question shall the railroad admin.
4FaSs- al