Evening star., 1921-05-26
Probing Building Ho|d-Up
in Kansas City Territory
BY DICK SMITH.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

SbeNidi IlSpatcn 10 ne star,
. KANSAS CITY. May 26.-The part
material prices play in preventing the
resumption of building is being given
attention in this territory just now.
. With one probe under way at Jeffer-
son City. the state capital. by the
attorney general. another will open
! in Kansas City next week before an
arbitration board selected to settle
the building trades wage controversy.
but also authorized at the instigation
! or the workers. to investigate mate
rial costs.
/ be binding upon the workers and the
: builders. but it will have no power to
90 other than bring out facts about
material prices.
: Contention OF Workers.
however, Il representative of the
attorney general will be present to
determine whether the facts devel-
"pcd snow manipulations that violate
the antitrust laws. The workers con-
! tend that material costs not wages,
are chiefly responsible for holding up
! building operations.
The Jefferson City investigation has
.deVrloped facts indicating there is an
uhcerS,andl among cement manu-
i iacturcrs and other material men as
, to prices.
| Materials Still High.
! 1t is contended that besides cement
. brick. steel and some other building
| materials Is are still higher than they
i shoui" be. and that while the price
or lumber has been cut, it has not
| fallcn as much as it should have.
! An inves: igation of high rents
which probably will result in an anti
| rent profteering law being passed by
the Missouri legislature next month
mas also disclosed facts that are be-
+ IN, used in the Investigation of ma
3 ttrl,. The oh nf hui
ing Contributes TO the house shortage
! which makes high rents possible
Lumber rPice. Firm.
The arrival of extremely warm
weather on the heels of unSeasonably
cool weather has stimulated retail
buying and this In turn has had
bIlin-. and this III turn has had a
ally.
Banks report continued improve
.ncnt in the financial institutions
Several speeches by w. +. G. Hard
| ins. governor Of the Federal E.snrv.
Board. in Kansas City and Kansas
! City's tradc territory within the last
few days have served to tone up con-
ditions. Recognized as conserva-
tive. the optimistic manner in which
! Gov. Harding spoke had an encour-
aging effect.
NOTES.
NEW YORK. May 26.-The new
prices covering A bleached musIins
and kindred cotton goods have been
announced to the jobbing trade by
Taylor. C!app 4; Beall. and. with very
few exceptions. the prices show in
creases over the last announcement,
made January ;. Lonsdale and Black
stone mus!ins are reduced from Is u
, to II cents: Hopes. from IA to 1oia
and Forget MeNots. from - to II
cents. I-onsdale cambric muslins and
Lon "A re ..6y nod
from IL. to 1879. Cambrics gen.
orally show from to cents in
creases. Rerkeley English longcloths
also show similar increases.
BOSTON, May 26.-Women's sweat
ers and knitted bathing suits are in
good demand. although the summer
vacation season has scarcely begun.
Retail sales in these two commodities
have been so large that recorders have
been necessary. A number of manu-
facturers are unable to fill orders for
: immediate delivery