The Daily Alaska empire., 1942-06-04
0pA ALASKA 7 HEAD SPEAKS
 TO CHAMBER
Regulations Applying to Retailers Explained by
 Mrs. M. Hermann

f1drQ WOrK ana lOlS Ol It lo III store for retail merchants through out the country in fulfilling the recent regulations covering price ceilings issued by the Office of Price Administration" warned Mrs. Mildred Hermann, newly appointed Director of Alaska Territory Office of Price Administration, guest speaker at the weekly luncheon of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce today.
 Though the regulations which went into effect throughout the country in May cover wholesalers and manufacturers as well as retail merchants, Mrs. Hermann, because of limited time covered only the highlights of regulations as they will affect the retailer during her fifteen minute talk.
 While regulations requiring that retail prices, with a few exceptions, must not exceed the highest levels which each individual seller charged during the month of March, 1942, went into effect as of May Is, Mrs. Hermann stated that she received word yesterday than an extension had been granted Hawaii until June Is and had wired Washington for the same extension to be granted to Alaska because of transportation difficulties.
 Five tests by which each in- dividual retailer may establish his own price ceilings for articles on sale were clearly explained by Mrs. Hermann who stressed that it was not the object of OPA to inflict hardship on retailers or destroy legitimate profits. We will attempt in all cases of adjustment to allow retail merchants the same per- centage of profit they had a year ago." she said.
 May Appeal
 Individual cases, not fully cov- cred by the regulation regarding both seasonal and other commodi- ties, may be appealed to the local OPA office and every effort will be made to alleviate any hardship, Mrs. Hermann said. In case the decision of the local office is not satisfac- tory, appeal may be made to the | Washington OPA office, she stated.
 To Hold Meeting
 Within a short time meeting of all retailers in the community will be called at which time details of the regulations will be thoroughly gone into and explicit instructions regarding the requirements will be given each merchant, Mrs. Her mann said. "In the meantime, wish all retailers to feel free to consult with me regarding any prob lems they encounter in their effort to fulfill the requirements" Retailers Tasks
 Among the tasks facing retailers, in addition to establishing the ceiling price of every article they sell, is the posting in each store of the ceiling prices of all cost of living commodities, which roughly are those things which, in the opinion of the OPA, are necessary for health and well being, Mrs. Hermann said. These ceiling prices must be posted in one of the three following ways: l, on the individual article; 2, on the shelf or con- tainer where the article is dis played; 3, in conspicuous place, easily seen by anyone entering the store.
 In addition to this, each mer- chant must keep on file in the store, for the information of any one inquiring, the ceiling price of every article on sale; must keep on file all records and invoices of prices paid for merchandise and many other details. "All of this means a trenmendous amount of work for all merchants. But l have complete confidence that none of the penalties for not comply ing with these requirements will ever be invoked in Alaska and that, while the merchants may grumble and complain, they will do as AL askans have always done, buckle down and do the work" Mrs. Her mann concluded.
 Other Guests
 Additional guests introduced by President John w Jones were Rob- ert L. Jernberg, formerly prac- ticing attorney in Sitka who re- gently took office as Assistant United States Attorney, and L. H. Johnston, General Agent for the