The Tomahawk., 1919-08-21

who know the actual conditions OF
business and it's adoption would serve
q great and beneflcent purpose.
No Ground for Dire Prediction.
There is no ground for some of the.
fearful forecasts I hear uttered about
me. but the condition Of the world IL
unquestionably very grave and We
should face it comprehendingly.
Supply Above Year Ago.
Some very Interesting and stgnin.
cant facts with regard to stocks on
hand and the rise of prices in the face
Of abundance have been disclosed by
the inquiries of the department OF
agriculture, the department Of labor
and the federal trade commission.
They seem to justify the statement
that in the case Of many necessary
commodities, effective means have
been found to prevent the normal op-
Grafton Of the law Of supply and de-
mand.
Disregarding the surplus stocks in
the hands Of the government, there
was q greater supply Of foodstuffs in
this country on June of this year
than at the same date last year. In
the combined total of a number of tho
most important goods In dry and cold
storage. the excess Is not quite 19 per
cent. And yet prices have risen. The
supply of fresh eggs on hand In juno
Of this year for example was greater
by nearly 80 per cent than the supply
on hand at tho same time last year
and yet the wholesale price was 10
cents a dozen as against 30 cents
year ago. The stock of frozen fowls
had increased more than 298 per cent
and yet the price had risen also from
"a cents per pound to 3714 cents. The
supply of creamery butter had in
creased 129 per cent and the price
from II to SO cents per pound.
Few Products Lower.
In . few foodstuffs the prices had
declined, but in nothing like the pro-
portion in which the supply had In.
creased. For example the stock of
canned tomatoes has increased 125
per cent and yet the price has declined
only rs cents per dozen cans. In some
cases there has been the usual result
of an increase Of price following de-
crease of supply but In almost every
instance the increase of price has been
disproportionate to the decrease in
stock
Court Action Promised.
The attorney general has been max
ing careful study Of the situation as
q whole and of the laws that can be
prepared to better it, and is convinced
that under the stimulation and tempta-
tion of exceptional circumstances,
combination Of producers and combina.
tion Of trades have been formed for
the control Of supplies and of prices
which are clearly in restraint of trade.
and against these prosecutions will be
promptly instituted and actively
pushed, which will in all likelihood
have prompt corrective effect.
There is reason to believe that the
prices of leather, of coal, of lumber
affected by forms of concert and co.
operation among the producers and
marketers Of these and other univers.
ally necessary commodities which Il
will be possible to redress.
No watchful or energetic effort will
be spared to accomplish this necessary
result. l trust there will not be many
cases in which prosecution will be nee.
essary. Public action will, no doubt.
cause many who have perhaps unwit-
tingly adopted illegal methods to aban-
don them promptly and of their own
motion.
And publicity can accomplish .
great deal. The purchaser can often
take care of himself II he knows the
facts and influences he is dealing with
and purchasers are not disinclined to
do anything, either singly or collective
ly, that may be necessary for their
self protection.
Retailers Are Blamed.
There can be little doubt that re.
tailers are in part-sometimes In
larger part-responsible for exorbi-
for the government through the agen-
cies have mentioned, to supply the
public with full information as to the
prices at which retailers buy and 40
to the costs Of transportation they
paid, in order that It may be known
just what margin Of profit they are
Opinion and concerted ac-
tion on the part Of the purchasers can
probably do the rest.
Americas Final Test.
The calmness and capacity with
which America deals with and masters
the problems of peace will be the final
test and proof of her place among the
peoples of the world a..
And, If only In our own, interest, We
must help the people overseas. Eu-
rope is our biggest customer. We
must keep her going or thousands of
our shops and scores of our mines
must cloSe There IA no auch thing