The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-07-09
PROFIT FIXED IN
EFFORT TO STOP
PR0FI7EERING
Only 33 1-3 Per Cent. Allowed on
Shoes and Clothes,
WILL PROSECUTE DEALERS
Fair Price Commission Of Vermont
viii Start Campaign Backed
BY BuIard.

Burlington, July 9:-There is a
crash coming and number CT arrests
will take place in the near future Of
prominent business men in Vermont
If some of the exorbitant prices in
clothing, shoes, and groceries con.
ltinue.
This is according to the Fair
Price Commission of Vermont which
has made is first ruling in regard to
the open profiteerng that has been
going on in this city and in many
parts of the State. II has fixed the
percentage of profits on goods and in
| its report to the Department of JUS
tice stated that violations Of these
rulings will be vigorously prosecuted"
This means that every source open
| to the Fair Price Commission and to
the United States Attorneys office
will be used to bring prohteers to
justice
1t is claimed by the government,
lyou may say said the United States
District Attorney that some of the
merchants of Burlington have been
/ far exceeding the percentage Of pro-
| fits that the commission has ruled as
reasonable and fair Agents of the
Department OF Justice have been in.
yestigatng for some time and ii is
said that the proliteering is not con-
lecture or supposition but a clearly
Established fact.
That there have not been many pro.
/ Isecutions up-to date is probably due
Ito the fact that before there was
nothing to set the prices to be charg-
ed except the opinions or sentiment
Icf a jury. II is claimed that the ac-
Ition of the Fair Price Commission
has given the United States attorney
something tangible to work on and
that immediate action of Il drastic
mature will be taken il local or state
merchants continue or begin to vio-
late the rulings announced.
! The entire State will be carefully
conibed to find yiolators OF the fair
percentage and members OF the com
mission, together with The United
Estates authorities, will exercise vigil
liant watch In every county.
fOrlo Il. Luce OF Stowe, chairman OF
the body that made the rules govern
ling The sale of merchandise, is the
man in charge in Chittenden County
besides taking care of Grand Isle
Franklin, Orleans and Lamoille.
In Essex Caledonia, Orange and
washington counties George N. Til
den, a prominent shoe dealer, will
watch for profiteers, with George E
l.. Badlam, a grocer of Rutland, over
Addison, Bennington and Rutland
and A. p. Simonds of Brattleboro in
Windham and Windsor
1t was stated at the United States
attorneys office this morning, that
while the authorities would conduct
a vigorous prosecution Of profiteers
there were bound to be isolated cas-
es that would come neither to the at
tention Of the government nor the
notice of the members Of the FAN
Price Commission 1t is urged that
lanybody who knows of such cases re
port the name of the dealer, his
Iprices and so forth to the member Of
the commission over the county in
which the merchant has his place OF
business,
The Fair Price Commission, which
is composed of some of the most
prominent business men of the state
was appointed about two months age
Iby United States Attorney V. A. Bul
lard to aid him in his campaign
against protiteering which is directed
by the Department of Justice in
Washington. During that time they
have been making various investiga
ticns and extensive examination OF
conditions of local and state business
The findings on the question of pro
fits are as follows,
After a careful investigation of ex
listing conditions the Fair Price Con
mission of Vermont decides that {
fair percentage of profit On the selling
price of the different classes of mer
chandise is as follows: Boots ant
shoes (s.aple lines), 99 1-S per cent
boots and shoes (novelty lines), A
per cent. clothing, mems and boys
SO 1-3 per cent, dry goods, 80 1-S pc.
cent, ladies', misses and childreni
ready.towear garments 40 per cent
groceries exclusive Of -four ant
Sugar. 80 per cent.
This means that the pair of shoe
that costs the retailer four dollar
may be sold for not more than si'
ldollars. The commission has fount
that the overhead expense, such a
trent, clerks salary, and so forth
amounts to "a to 30 per cent in DIR,
goods, clothing, ready.to-wear gal
ments, and boots and shoes, an
from IS to 25 per cent in groceries
So that the net profit to retail sho
dealer on pair Of shoes costing hir
four dollars wholesale and sold at 81
dollars is one dollar and thirty-llv
cents after the overhead expense
deducted.
The members Of the Fair Price Cor
nilsson are as follows:
Orlo e. Luce of Stowe, chairman
George N. Tilden of Barre, George |
IL. Barlam Of Rutland and A, p. Sin
onds OF Brattleboro With the tinisl