New-York tribune., 1919-12-23

only to stop the upward trend of prices,
but in some instances to decrease
prices.
"The National Retail Clothing Deal
ers' Association have recently estab-
lished their prewar margins Of profit
as being fair and have so advised their
proXimately 80 per cent of the retail
clothing dealers of America. They have
also appointed a diligence committee
to hunt up profteers within their men,
bership and report to the United States
attorney in their respective districts
violations of margins of profits as set
up by their organization. These profits
show from to so per cent reduction
over prevailing profits Of last few
months.
Retailers Aiding Movement
"The National Retail Shoe Dealers
Association have appointed an executive
committee to confer for the purpose Of
rees establishing similar rule within
their organization. The National Retail
Dry Goods Association, representing
some 10000 department stores in the
United States, are cooperating with the
Department of Justice in establishing
prominently economy departments dur
ing January and February.
Several of the larger manufacturers
ASSOCIATIONS, as we'll as Wholesale and
retail merchants associations, have
appointed committees to confer with
agents Of the Department of Justice
and are putting their entire machinery
at the disposal of the department to
carry out programs to the member
ship. Such efforts will be extended
to other like organizations to CO.
operate toward reducing profits.
Beyond this the Department Of JUS
tice has instituted a thoroughgoing and
nation wide campaign participated in
by thousands Of men and women, bring
ing about regulations in the cost of
living through education and through
moral suaslon. In forty-four states
The work in all of them, as directed
from Washington, is being done by
Fair Price Comm issioners or United
States Attorneys. Very soon organiza-
ton OF the remaining states will be
completed. Three states have passed
laws creating commissions or other
machinery for the protection Of their
citizens against protiteers.
"The women of the country. in whose
hands rests the power largely to con-
troll the cost of living through pur-
certain educational facts to the con
suming and buying public, as we'll as
to determine fair prices in local com
munltles and TO hunt out the protitecrs
and report violations of the Lever act
The women's organizations of the
country have already done splendid
work in this direction and are expected
to cooperate still further 1t has been
thought advisable to work through or
carnations already set up and func-
tloning in the different states rather
than to set up n separate organiza-
tion solely for this purpose.
primarily the notable fact IN
volvcd in the cost of living are the
needed increase in oduction, the
elimination Of extravagant buying and
the determined hunting down OF prof
teers of all classes. | believe that the
time has now come when the organiza-
ton OF the country has been complete!
&c the point where real results can be
shown.
"lhe cost Of living, already under
control, can be reduced if every one
who produces Will produce his utmost,
II those who buy and consume will
save and eliminate extravaganza, and
II all honest people will Join with the
Department Of Justice in stamping out
pro1tecring and boarding."
The officials attending the confer
ence at which the statement was au-
thorized and who, it is understood. are
prepared to make the statement the
basis for solution Of any problem with
in their jurisdiction involving the cost
of living, in addition to Attorney Gen
eral Palmer, were Secretaries Daniels
and Alexander, Chairman Murdock and
Commissioner Colver, Of the Federal
Trade Commission; Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Treasury Leffingwell, AS
sistant Attorney General Amos. Di-
rector General Hines. and Special AS
sistant TO the Attorney General Eir1