The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-01-30

I ALNNNN &AHhN - AANN 49,
Ford offer in cold storage while goins
Z ahead with It's own program to com
S picie the great engineering enter
-%lprise. As matters now stand thu
"Ford offer" is twenty to twenty-five
million dollars short Of its alleged or
| iginal value. because Of the govern
ment expenditures. For this and other
reasons some OF the senator's and rep
resentativcs are dissatisfied with the
continued inaction regarding the Ford
proposal. and they ask that it be
brought out for a proper killing. There
is apparently no question but what
this is the attitude OF both houses
concerning the Ford offer"
The Cost of Living
The cost Of living was about three
per cent lower at the end OF 1922
than at the close Of 1921. Perhaps
most people never noticed the three
per cent. but they ought to. as that
is the standard rate return on de-
posts in the savings bank How do
we know is cost three per cent less
to live last year than the year before?
Why. Uncle Sam says so. and he
proves It by yards OF facts and figures
that are indispuiable. Prices OF food.
clothing. furniture. and other import
ant items that go to make up the ex-
pcnse are as easy to catch
as a cold.
Against large reductions in many
the fact stands out that rents
and fuel have increased. But il any
one feels that costs OF living are reach
ing 10y they need % study the Of
reports a little more in detail
and they will learn that price averages
are still 6o.5 per cent higher than
hey were at the end of 1918.
There are many extraordinary in
;ongruities in the official price sche-
and they appear 20 carry the
conviction that the proiiteers are still
'ropering in the sale OF their wares.
commodities and supplies.
Getting After The Price-Fixers
a recent report by the Federal
'rade Commission shows how a
lumber Of western lumbermen's as
got together and fixed
riccs. Price lists were arranged at
ieir meetings, and they even went
into Canada and fixed up agree
with Canadian manufacturers.
his report is one in a series showing
lumbermen in different sections
t the United States have made up
heir price lists. II is reasonable TO
that this kind OF manipula
was in the interests OF the lumb-
men rather than OF the consumers.
For many years the government has
'en attempting to prevent secre, I'M
'rsiandings among manufacturer
selling agencies in establishing
ices. As a result most OF the so
He'd associations" are rather caut- :
us and do not actually fix prices. /,
ough It is generally supposed that
'st OF them talk it over" when they
e. But the lumbermen do not seem
be onto all the finesse of the situa-
n and they have been laundering
o situations that make sure that
'ir profits were big enough" Per
If they had stopped at that point
Federal Trade Commission and
Department Of Justice would not
be after them so hard.
Hands OFF"
ambassador Harvey came from
ndon to the White House. and
irned to London again. When he
5 out on the high sea the news
published stories that he bad
agreed with Secretly OF State
gheA Whereupon Harvey wired
wireless that 'twant so. Next edi- u
came with the report that Secret =
Hughes was at outs with the