Evening star., 1920-01-05
.-3,.. y . -.s'..-:,t :.
FAIR PRICES" LESS. S
:, :, THAN WHOLESALE.
Illinois Clothing Dealers Pro-
test; Chicago Stores Do
q J: Rushing Business.

CHICAGO, January 5 (by the Asso-
ciated Press).-Investigatio of the
fair price" list for clothing issued by
the Illinois fair price committee, and
which Out-of-town merchants declare
is lower than the wholesale price, has
revealed a business deal whereby
leading Chicago department stores
have done ruShing business in
cheaper grades of/elothing.
The clothing fair price committee,
composed of five officials of the big
downtown department stores and one
representative of the suburban deal
ers, frankly admits that clothing can
not be bought in the wholesale market
today at the fair price" set for re-
tailers.
Mems Suits, $3.50; Women's, $25.
The committee fixed the fair price
for mems suits and overcoats at
S24.50, women's suits at $25, mems and
women's hose at 25 cents a pair and
other articles on a corresponding
scale.
The big downtown stores have COM
plete lines of clothing on sale in their
subway" sections at the prices fixed
and have been doing a rushing busi-
ness
When merchants from many sections
complained that the fair price" list
was unfair, that it made them ap-
pear to be profiteers, and that they
for the committees retail price, the
Chicago dealers explained.
Conditions Explained.
The clothing on sale here was all
purchased many months ago, none be-
ing bought within the past six
months. The mems suits, for exam
pie, are. of tive classes. cotton and
wool mixtures and all wool shoddy.
When the. merchants agreed on the
mr. liSt Or nj
plete line of this class of: clothing
on sale, regardless of the wholesale
cost. After the. present supplies are
exhausted no more will be available,
it is said
1.-The big buying power of stores
here, combined with the fact that they
carry very large stocks. and take ad-
vantage of special bargains in the
wholesale market. made this price list
possible" according to d. F. Kelly
manager of one of the biggest Chi
cago department stores, and acting
chairman of the fair price commit
tee.
Prices Impossible Now.
The merchants in smaller cities are
right when they say they cannot buy
now at wholesale at prices as low
as our fair price list. We couldn't
either. We fixed this list and made a
special drive for the man and woman
who want ow-priced clothing.
"Our store and the other big down.
town stores have bargain subway
Easements, where they sell this class
of clothing. The prices in the sub
ways for mems suits range from our
fair price minimum Of s24.50 to $40.
"The cheapest wool suit. moderate
ly well tailored, on sale in the reg
ular clothing departments today Is
priced at $50. The average well dress
ed business man cannot be outfitted
for less than SIS to $s5 for suit.
Big Increase Shown.
Prices for the class of goods COW
cred by the fair price list have in
creased less than for any other lines.
The suits we are selling at $24.50
would have retailed at SIG in 1914,
showing an increase of about so per
cent since before the war. The suit
that sells today for. $50 would have
sold at $25 before the war;. giving
clear 100 per cent increase
Members of the fair price commit