Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-09-24

really gone through the roof. Their
rise approximates IS per cent. Pork
chops at A cents pound-up 100 per
cent-and sirloin steak at so cents q
pound-up 20 per cent-are in the
class of rare delicacies Most families
cannot afford to buy them; while
many who can afford to buy refuse
to do so because the price is out Of
line with other foods. Filet of sole,
lamb croquettes and roast chicken
are getting the call over pot roasts
and baked ham. Personally, the high
price of meat makes no difference to
me as am vegetarian; but most
people are not so sensible.
Another example of the growing re-
sistance to higher prices is in the
clothing field. Since last September.
retail price tags have been marked up
10 per cent on the average Spring
merchandise first showed the effects
of shoppers resistance. Sales have
been gradually slowing down since
then. It is interesting to note that a
mems clothing chain has just an
nounced it's fall price of $19.85. Last
spring this concern marked its line
up from $1875 to $21. To move their
goods this summer, the price had to
to be cut to $3.50. These various re-
tail price advances have pushed the
volume of retail sales Fellow a year
ago for the first time in twenty-eight
months.
Trade Below 1886.
There are other illustrations of con-
sumner resistance. Prices on 1888 au-
tomobile models are to be higher and
dealers have their fingers crossed.
Under pressure of a 16 per cent in
crease in costs. building has now
dropped below the level of the pre-
ceding year for the first time since
May, 1884. Fuel oil is another product
which feels the effects of higher
prices. Automatic stoker sales are
catching up with oil burner sales. In
some Eastern cities higher prices
have put fuel oil on a $14 ton
equivalent to stove coal which is still
$3.50 a ton.
Higher labor costs are big factor
in these advanced prices. Moderate
and justified wage increases are a
tonic to industry. But too sharp or
unjustified advances ultimately do the
worker more harm than good. Those
businesses that gave the larger wage
boosts were the ones which were
forced to make the biggest price mark
ups. Their business is now slowing
down. Of course, some short-sighted
manufacturers are using higher OPP
Grating costs as an alibi to lift prices
But the innocent suffer with the
guilty. Workers who are being put on
part time are now seeing that wage
booms are not all they are cracked
up to be.
Price Fixing Unsound.
Consumers are wondering if these
higher prices have any connection
with "price-fixing The new Tydings-
Miller act opens the gates to national
price-fixing. 1t permits manufacturers
to fix minimum prices for trade
marked articles where the same is
allowed ty State law. Price-fixing is
bound to lead to all kinds of abuses.
The consumer will be held up by this
act. Efficient distributors will be pen
allied. But the law may prove boom
erang to retailers and manufacturers.
Those merchants who hold price
umbrella over their branded mer-
chandise may see their trade flock
ing to the cut-price private brands.
In many cases there seems to be
plenty of room for lower prices rath-
er than higher Current distribution
costs look exorbitant. Here, for in
stance, is a table showing how your
dollar is Snlit I'D into producing and