Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-17

sociation, said the government
 method of disposing of surplus foo,
 was unpleasant competition bu
 he believed that it had impressed valuable lesson in that it shoult
 "cure forever all talk of governmen
 ownership"
 John Meyer, secretary of the Nev
 York State Grocers' association speaking in place of Philip A. Do Puyt, president of the organization criticised Arthur Williams and his food administration.
 "We were saddled with a food ad. ministrator," he said "He gave us a list of some 32 articles that com prise 75 per cent of the retail gro cer's business with the prices which he said we must sell them for Well, we did all we could to help Then not long ago he took up the matter of the wheat the govern ment had on hand, wanted us to use it and sell the bread out of it at cost and less. Said They Were Done With Him.
 "The prices fixed by him for the 32 articles we found to be less than cost. When he had the nerve to make this last proposal, we told him that we were done with him; that there was no law that gave him au- thority to fix prices, and that we would regulate these matters our selves"
 The sugar question was discussed by George A. Zabriske, president of the United States Sugar Equalizati board, who said that in 1919 the country had 450,0O0 more tons of sugar than in the biggest previous year, and 100000 more tons than in 1918. The country required 4,000,- 900 tons of this commodity last year. and our own sugar crop wass 2,500,- 900 tons. Yet by purchase from Cuba the equalization board had 4,500,000 tons of sugar and eX- ported but 500,00O tons. An em- bargo, he declared, would have been the proper course to~pursue to con- serve our own interests.
 Had not the administration de- layed last fall, he continued, more sugar could have been taken from Cuba with lower price per pound to the consumer. As it was, the sugar equalization board turned back to the treasury $40,0O0,000 and this country paid less for it's sugar by the pound than any other coun- try.
 One reason for apparent shortage. he concluded, was that the per cap ita consumption of sugar had risen to 90 pounds. In the year after the civil war consumption was IS pounds per person.
 Washington, March 13--A decline in the cost of living is in sight be- cause the world is slowly but surely getting back to work, Bernard Baruch told the house war department ex- penditures committee during an in- guiry into the wartime activities of the war industries board, of which he was chairman.
 Production in every line of indus try is reaching the peak, MT. Baruch said, adding that the old law of supply and demand is the only sure method of forcing down prices. He opposed all government price fixing in peace times, but asserted that it was necessary during the war.
 "Only a cataclysm, an act of Ged UT SoHe ueVelopmeHC Sucn dS the overthrow of the government and the establishment of some unwar- ranted substitute can prevent prices from dropping in the near future," Mir. Baruch said.
 "When the hoarders and the profi- teers see that greatly increased pro- duction is in sight-and they will be the first to sec it-they will unload and run to cover. With the restor- ation of normal transportation on land and sea and with the world