Bisbee daily review., 1919-04-04
UPHEAVAL IN STEEL
 PRICES |S "
 FORECAST
Conflict Over Rate Readjust- ments May Bring Complete New Schedule of All Prices
Fuel Question Also Likely to Be Investigated; Public to Benefit by Action by U. s.

WASHINGTON, April 3.-Conflict between the industrial board of the department of commerce and the rail- road administration over steel prices has developed a new question of whether the board shall attempt to arrange prices with basic industries at which the public shall be asked to mack purchases.
 Reconsideration of the entire policy of the board, with possible consequent withdrawal or revision of the steel prices already announced, has been decided upon Conferences will start tomorrow between representatives of the boafd and the railroad administra- tion on which it is believed will de- pend the future activities of the board.
 It developed today that the lengthy conference yesterday, attended by several members and the heads of all the important government purchasing agencies, decided to recommit to the board the entire matter" involved in the refusal of the railroad administra- ton to accept the new steel prices. It was said that there was no intention to recommit only the controversy with the railroad administration and Chairman Peek's amendment to the official statement issued by Secre- tary Glass, in whose office the meet ing was held, was declared by the treasury head to have been unauth- oTized and not to reflect the senti. ment of the conference.
 Refuses to Talk.
 Director General Hines refused to- day to comment on the controversy.
 Publication by the board for the public guidance of list of steel prices which had not been accepted by the railroad administration and insistence that the latter should accept the prices after they were published seem to be the points at issue, which have divided government officials into two opposing camps on the question of price fixing As originally consti- tuted, according to official announce ments made at the time, the board was intended to be an instrument of mediation between industry and gov ernment purchasing agencies, to see whether prices could be made suffi- ciently attractive to induce the gov ernment to purchase freely" It was declared by men active Tn the crea- ton of the board that it was not in- tended that the board would endorse prices for the public, but that the acceptance of new prices by the gov ernment was to eb the assurance of the public that they were considered fair on the basis of known costs.
 When the new steel prices were arranged, the railroad administration gave notice through its representative on the board, T. c. Powell, that they were not acceptable to the largest purchaser of steel in the United States. It was said that tehre was some dispute between the board and the administration as to whether the notice comprised only rails. as con- tended by the board, or all steel products, as alleged by the latter. At any rate, the announcement of the new scale made no mention of the prices being acceptable to the govern ment, but offered them only as sat isfactory to the public"
 New Pric4s $45 Ton.
 Steel rails were priced in the re- vised schedule at $45 and SAT a ton. The railroad administration still is receiving deliveries on contracts at S36 to $40 ton.
 Charges by the National Coal as sociation of unfair practices" on the part of the railroad administration
 Continued on Page 2, Col. 1.)