The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-30
eRANDSTAND TRRONGS. TO SPEND
 ESTIMATED 100 MELLON TO VIEW RICH PAGEANTRY OF CORONATION
Crowd of 400, 900 Likely to Line Palace to Ab- {.
 .bey Route ~ .7 <
BY: DAN ROGERs
United Press Staff CorrespOndel

BY DAN ROGERS United Press Staff Correspondent London (UP) Hundreds of racketeers are fattening on accom- modations for the Coronation of King George VI despite strenuous efforts of the government and right thinking Britons to protect their overseas guests.
 Thousands of the unwary will be victimized--som have already been fleeced for considerable surns-but there is no necessity for submitting to extortion, it is emphasized here.
 At best, prices will be high. This may be expected but foreign visi- tors who apply to official organiza- tions instead of dealing with in- dependent racketeers will be protect ed against profiteering of the type where "only so glineas" is charged for 8 room or flas worth only 5 guineas normally, and where 15 to 20 people are sold seats at one window 4 by 6 feet in size at $50 to $l25 a head.
 Seat Speculation Worst
 The most fragrant examples of profiteering, and of outright rack eteering, are laid to spectators in seats. FIT
 The Sunday Dispatch estimated that $10O, ,O00, 900 would change hands by May 12 for seating on which the original price was 10000, 900. These seats, 1t is estimated, will accom- modate 100000 people along the 6 IA mile route of the procession.
 They are in addition to seats in government stands, of which there will be scores of thousands. There Is no speculation in government seats-speculatorS cannot obtain theIn-but neither can a private person. They are reserved for those the government must take care of, officials, foreign delegations, certain distinguished overseas visitors and guests of the government. These seats are being issued in blocks to organizations involved. Details of the distribution and the price are being kept secret, although it was stated in Commons the government will take a heavy loss on the stands on Crown property.
 Prices Rise Steadily
 Last fall, seats on the Coronation route were being sold by reputable agencies for from $l5 to $75. Some sold at $l6O to $250 late in February.
 Kieth Prowse & O., largest and most reliable agency, rented a Reg ent street balcony accommodating % persons for slightly more than 5000. This firm is handling space in many of the large stores and offices along the route. They do not crowd their windows; they do not knowingly sell to SpeculatoHS.
 They report that 25 to 40 per cent of their business in seats. IS from abroad, and during February they averaged sales of more than 100 seats a week at prices ranging from $50 to $25O.
 Similarly, other agencies report 8 every steady" demand. Thousands of seats" abroad that are not even on the route and other thousands of seats that do not exist at all.
 Racket Called Ramp
 The real ramp, British for track et," started this month when thous- ands of Americans and other over- seas visi4crS begin to arrive. Specu- lators still held thousands of seats. They do not plan to sell them until just before the coronation, at the highest price the traffic will bear.
 But they may be disappointed, "hoisted by their own petard." Spec ulators lost heavily on the Corona ton of George V in 1911. Refusal of the public to be victimized resulted in many seats, priced at $30 three weeks before, being let on coronation day for 75 cents.
 Excessive charges for Coronation seats are a modern development. Stow, Speed and Strype, antiquaries, give these prices for former Corona tions: Henry I (1l0W 8 caScard or crocard (twelfth of penny; Ed- ward IIy Q32T a half penny; Rich- ard II Q37D penny; Henry V (l410 half a groat, (four pennles) Henry VIII (l509) a groat; Eliza beth (l55S) a tester (12 cents); James | (l60O shilling; George, I N714) 2s Sd.
 Prices High In 1727
 Then the steep rise began. At the Coronation of George II in 1727, many people paid half a guinea to see the new king and his procession pass. Then shopkeepers and house. holders along the route realized what they had been missing. The price went up by leaps and bounds.
 When George III was crowned in 176l, as much as 10 guineas was asked fo:. seats and one gentleman Is recorded as paying 140 guineas for a room from which his lady could watch the show. At King Georges jubilee celebration in 1935, the maximum price of seat on the route was $750. With the average from $l05O to $77.50.
 The Coronation Accommodation Committee was established, with government support, at Il South ampton Row, London. w. c. l, to insure that visitors will be housed in comfort and protected from rac- keteers. Embassies, legations and the offices of dorninions high com- misSioners also have augmented staffs and made special arrange ments for caring for their nationals wants.