The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-17
BOOKS TO BE INCREASED BY sIOO,00O
Publishers State War Losses Cannot Longer Be SuS- tained-Recess LegisIa- tive. Committee Will
 Go Into Subject

.< Parents of Alabama school children will be forced to pay out approximately $100,00O addition al for textbooks when new con tracts are signed with publishers, setting prices for the next five years, representatives off publish CTS admitted to The Age-Herald. This represents an increase of from Is to 20 per cent in the prices of books used in the state educational system.
 With the legislatures recess committee on education instructed to investigate and report back on every phase of the educational system, it is understood that the state department of education and other high state officials are puzzled as to action to take. John W. { Abercrombie, state superin- tendent of education, told The Age-Herald over long distance telephone that he was instructed February 6 by the state board of education to negotiate with text book publishers, seeking to extend the present textbook contracts one year from the end of the present school term, when the contract ex- pires.
 Only Few Consent
 Only few publishers have con sented to the extension, The Age Herald was informed Friday by rep resentatives of a considerable propor- ton of publishers. Others are said to have pointed out to MT. Aber- crombie that they held prices sta tionary during the war period, talk Ing heavy losses on textbooks as the result of increased publishing costs Now, it is said, they feel that they sheuld be no longer expected to as- sume these losses. They want an increase in prices to take effect when the present contracts expire.
 An example of the price situation Is that a certain textbook costs 5S cents in Mississippi. selling for con slderably less in Alabama. because pre-war prices still prevail, it is claimed.
 Lewis Bowen, member of the house recess committee on education. rep- resentative from Jefferson county, Friday said he had not gone into the textbook situation. but that he felt certain this would be investi- gated by the recess committee, which was instructed to Ego into every phase of the educational system of the state"
 Under the Alabama law, price con tracts for textbooks are made every five years by the state. In turn, pub fishers making these contracts Jesig- nate depository in the state. This situation has been brought into the limelight within the last few days in connection with activities of City Commi ssioner William E. Dickson at the state capital, who has made num- erous trips to Montgomery in the in- terests of the Educational Exchange company of Birmingham. This com pany now is depository for about 25 per cent of the textbooks used in the state and is making a bid for all the business, acording to F. A. Clayton, a member of the firm.
 According to Mir. Dickson, he worked in the interests of this con cern at Montgomery on several oe- casions this year, going to the ca pi- tai Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. He is understood to have made the trip at the instance of Mir Clayton. who is reported to have telegraphed him Monday afternoon that his presence in Montgomery was valuable to the Educational Ex- change company at that time
 Provided the Birmingham concern obtains the depository rights for textbooks in Alabama, it is under stood the sales resulting would amount to approximately $500. 900. MT. Dickson's reward In case the deal goes through will be sin the ma ture of an interest in the business, according to MT. Clayton.
 Although the auditorium project will be live issue two weeks from Friday, MT. Dickson will be in Cleve- land according to his announced plans, attending a National Educs- ton association meeting. at which he expects to do some work for the Educa tional Exchange company. he stated Friday. Associated Archi- tects handling the auditorium plans have promised to submit preliminary data about March 1. Commissioner Dickson will be in Cleveland from Eehruary 24 fo March he statad