Evening star., 1923-03-09
i. s. PRICE RANGES
SHOWN K|WAN|ANS
Alvin E. Dodd Uses Chart to
Demonstrate c. of c. Dis
tribution Data.

Outlining the national problems
fao!nr domestic distribution and
using charts to illustrate tho rise
ana fall Of prices Of all kinds OF
commodities for number OF years,
Alvin 70. Dodd, head OF tho domestic
distribution department, Chamber OF
Commerce Of the United States, ad-
dressed members Of the Kiwants Club
| At the Hotel Washington yesterday.
Beginning with tho accepted def
milton Of distribution. which "em-
braces tho methods applied to every
change in ownership from tho mo-
ment when a commodity Is produced
| until It reaches the hands OF tho final
purchaser" Mr.. Dodd explained in
,, brief terms the kind Of service which
the domestic distribution depart
1nent Of tho organization he repre-
sents performs for the people OF the
country.
As ali Introduction to the exhibi-
tion Of some large charts the speake er
explained the Significance of san In
dex number which permits all sorts
or Statistical figures to be related 10
each Other. such as prices and Guanti-
ties. population and bank clearings,
or prices and business failures. 1t
Is the only method known by which
elements OF an essential difference
may be compared intelligently. he
said.
Prices and Conditions.
In showing the relation between
prices ana business conditions. Mr..
Dodd explained that no general
| knowledge Of an approaching col
lapse existed until n serious state OF
unemployment was disclosed, for
which reason a study OF employment
and unemployment figures Is one Of
the most Intelligent methods for an
| ticipating business conditions.
On tho chart Of wholesale prices for
the III years between 1910 and 1921
tho fact was shown that wholesale
| following the war Of 1912. the civil
| war and the world war. and It was
explained that the same general con-
ditions in distribution and industry
accompanied each Of these peaks and
| the succeeding fall in prices.
By means Of other charts Mr.. Dodd
| showed that all prices follow about
| the same course. some OF them, nat
! urally, going further upward ANA
downward, but he said 1t was almost
| a universal truth thar an extremely
high price of one article will be ac-
! companied by extremely high prices
of all other articles: that the same
vas true regarding a drop in prices
and that the higher a price goes the
| lower 1t Is likely to fall.
Wholesale and Retaif Prices.
This is true not only with rela-
ton to the prices of raw materials
| but of manufacturers prices and
| Wholesale and retail prices, which
move either together or in obedience
to each other in almost parallel lines
, with d slight drag between different
stages Of distribution" said Mr.. Dodd
He said further that another sig.
nificant fact is the demonstrated
tendency of business failures to de-
crease with rising prices and TO in
| crease with falling prices.
! The speaker concluded by stating
! many accusations Of profiteerin ms
hurled against merchants and Other
domestic distributors during the Las
four wears was absolutely unfound
ed, and referred to his charts to sub
| stantiate his claim.
Claude w. owen presided, ant
much business pertinent to the clut
was transacted.