Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-12
ND EVIDENCE FOUND
Of PR|CE-F|XING ON
CALCIUM ARSENATE
Atlanta Journal News Bureau,
40S Evans Building.

WASHINGTON, April 9.-Quoting
the low price paid in Georgia dur
ing the term of the Sherwin- VIII
Iams contract with that state" as
in part responsible for the belief
that there was price-iXing in the
calcium arsenate industry, the fed
eral department of agriculture an
nounces today that nevertheless TWO
separate government Investigations
had failed to disclose illegal prac-
tees. Both the department of agrl-
culture and the federal trade COM
mission, says a statement issued by
Secretary Wallace, have made IN
vestigations as directed by the SEN
ate and failed to find, up to TINS
time. any important specific cases OF
unfair practices"
Two separate Investigations by
the government" said the depart
ment of agriculture" have failed to
disclose any evidence of concerted
action by manufacturers of calcium
arsenate, used in cotton busting, to
fix prices. One investigation by the
department of agriculture and the
geological survey, in response to
senate resolution found that uncer-
tainty of the demand was. response
BILE for the present shortage OF the
insecticide, resulting in price vari-
atoms that were not brought about
by price-fixing. In a preliminary
report just made public-the federal
trade commission - which also in
vestigated the calcium arsenate in
dustry, confirms these findings.
emo widespread or important
specific cases of unfair practices in
the trade says the commission in
summing up its report, have been
found down to the present stage or
the inquiry The commission con-
cludes that the great increase in
the southern demand for calcium
arsenate and the inadequacy of the
available supply of white arsenic
prevented the insecticide manufac.
turers from producing sufficient
quantities of calcium arsenate to
meet this demand, the results being
a marked increase in the price of
whine arsenic AMI of calcium arse.
nate during the seasons of 1922 and
1928.
1.-The low price paid in the state
of Georgia during the term of the
Sherwin-W Williams contract with that
state was in part at least, responsi.
BILE for the opinion that an injuS
tice was being done by the insecti-
eide manufacturers to those Gus
toners outside the state who were
paying price as high in some cases
as 100 per cent greater than that
named in the aforementioned con.
tract-an opinion which was shared
by the Georgia consumers after the
expiration of this contract, when
they likewise had to pay similarly
high prices for calcium arsenate,
while efforts. were made by the in
secticide manufacturers to establish
an association-one of the objects of
which seems to have been the sd
justing or at least discussion of price |
discrepancies-it does not appear
that these efforts resulted IN price
fixing or open price activities.
1.-THE investigation by the commits.
sion was made in response to a SEN
ate resolution. Demands for an in
quiry were based upon wide vari
atoms in the price of calcium arse.
nate. Prices, which in October.
1922, ranged from ten to- twelve
cents a pound, increased rapidly dur
ing the next thirty to sixty days,
and in February. 1928, had reached /
a range of eighteen to nineteen,
ceotS''