Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-09-17

struction, will have to be at present
price levels.
Prof. Kilborne Is brought in to
testify as an independent expert on
this subject. He is a young man,
graduate of the University of Mich
igan, class of 1915, which gave him
his Phi. d. in 1924. In 1861 he
was an instructor in economics at
Dartmouth, and for the next three
years at the University of Michigan.
The following year he was assistant
professor at the University of Ne
braska and for the past four years
he has been assistant professor at
the Amos Tuck School, his promo
ton to a full professorship having
come this year.
His fir-.t exhibit was chart show
ing the index numbers of all COM
modities for the years 1850 in
elusive. Taking the year 1918 as
base, with an index number of 100,
the curve showed a rise to 243 in
May, 1920. and then a drop until
January, 1922, followed by a grad
ual rise. The index number for
August, 1925, was 160.
Another showed a separation of
these 404 commodities on which his
first chart was based into agricul-
tural and non-agricultural classif-
cations. This showed a marked rise
in the price levels OF agricultural
commodities since June, 1924. 1t has
advanced from an index number of
135 to 100, until it is practically on
level with the average of the all
commodities index.
A third chart showed the advance
in the wages of common labor in
the United States during the past
10 years. This showed an increase
! by index numbers from 1872 in the
| middle of 1924 to 100 at the present
| time, nearly double what it was ten
| years ago.
Prof. Kilborne had not completed
his testimony at the time of ad-
| journment and will take the stand
again when tomorrow's session
! opens.
General Auditor Testifies
| Other witnesses heard at yester-
! days session were Frederic E.
| Moore, general auditor of the COM
| pany, who, testified to the assistance
/ rendered his accounting department
| by the comptrollers division of the
| general staff of the American Tele-
| phone & Telegraph Company. He
also explained the method of divid =
| ing with the American Telephone &
| Telegraph company the revenue from
messages originating in this State to
| points on the lines of the American
Company outside New England.
General Plant Manager
| Charles N. Tasker, general plant
manager of the telephone company,
testified to the advantages his COM
pany receives from its supply con-
tract with the Western Electric Co.
MIR. Tasker began as night oper-
ator at Dover, n. H., in 1896, and
has worked up from the ranks to his
| present position in charge of the
construction and maintenance of all
the physical property of the COM
pany. During the year 1913 he act
ed for several months as Division
Plant Supt. of the State of Maine
| Division.
In addition to affording a depend
able source of supplies of all kinds,
Mr.. Tasker said the Western Electric
Co. was especially helpful in emer-
gencies, and cited Its service to him
in two or three big sleet storms since
1921.
1t has acted as purchasing agent
Tor the New England Co. since 1908,
ne said and by so acting saved him
$lOS,OOO a year under what it would
cost him to maintain a purchasing
department Of his own.