The Washington times., 1920-01-03
Dealers Are Warned.

A warning has been issued by Sec
retary Atkinson that these dealers
will be prosecuted and that efforts
were now being made to get evidences
OF their prohteering. The prices In
the wholesale market for eggs, said
Mr.. Atkinson, is from 65 to 30 cents
a dozen.
Merchants know we'll the margin
OF profit to which they are entitled"
said Mr.. Atkinson, but many, accord
ing to complaints received by the com
mittee, are not satisfied with a profit
Of 10 cents on a dozen and are charg-
ing exorbitant prices for eggs.
Those merchants we find profiteer-
ing in eggs will have their names sent
to District Attorney John f. Laskey,
Who will see that they are prosecuted
Discuss Price Enforcement.
At conference this morning be-
tween Clarence r. Wilson, of the Dis
trict Fair Price Committee, and
Howard Figg, special assistant to At
torney General Palmer, In the De-
partment OF Justice Building, ways
md means of enforcing the fair price
lists to be announced next week were
discussed.
A number of special agents OF the
"
ed to Mr.. Wilson's office and all COM
plants Of profiteering will be investi-
gated. The investigators also will
personally cover the city in an effort
to discover profiteering and the pre-
valence of unfair prices.
Mr.. Figg appeared before the COM
nittee yesterday and outlined the
work of the Department of Justice
% reduce the high cost OF living II
was principally through the sugges
ton OF Mr.. Figg that the committee
Yesterday did not announce the fair
price list on meats.
Trained investigators of tho De-
partment of Justice will assist the
District Fair Price Committee In en-
forcing a schedule of fair prices and
to probe the complaints received or
profiteering, IL was announced today
At a meeting yesterday of the COM
mittee ii was announced a schedule
II prices on lamb, pork and kosher
beef had teen fixed, but 1t developed
that the committee Is badly In need
of corps of investigators to take up
complaints of unfair prices and prac-
tices.
Assurance was given, however. by
Howard Figg, special assistant to At
torney General Palmer, that his de-
partment would assist the committee
in investigating complaints of profit
eering in the District.
Hold Up Issuing Schedule.
incidentally, the committee did not
make public the fixed fair-price
schedule on the advice of Mr.. Figg,
who furnished a table OF prices in
other cities with the request that they
be taken into consideration, before
announcement OF the fair prices being
effective.
1t is understood that prices on lamb
and kosher beef will allow a margin
of profit over cost, the same as pres
ent fair prices on beef. Fair prices
on beef allow a proft to the retailers
OF approximately 80 Ia per cent,
virtually what they asked. On pork,
prices are to be fixed by the COM
mittee from time to time.
3 Clarence II. Wilson, chairman OF
the committee, said no reference has
been made TO the sugar situation byi
the COMMITTEES, II being stated the
'ocal committee having no control ofs
sugar shipments to Washington ori
prices charged by dealers. He inti-.
mated that the committee would prob h
ably issue a statement In a few days.
regarding Its position on sugar.
ascent sugar Reported.
The committee, however, has re-
csived reports that some Washington
retailers are selling Cuban sugar as
high ss 20 cents q pound and that
others are charging 20 cents a pound
for refined granulated sugar with the
customer required to buy other goods
In order TO obtain sugar.
The committee found that there w.s
a sensational drop In the price OF
eggs since December 30. when they