Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-11
Woodward & Lothrop
Accused by 0PA Of
Price Violations
Courts Restraining
Order Is Second Here
In Four Days

Inc Office of Price Administration
today was granted a temporary Or
Ger restraining the Woodward &
Lothrop department store from vio-
Iatlng the general maximum price
regulation, marking the second in
stance in four days in which the
oPA has taken its grievances over
ceiling prices into District Court.
Justice Matthew F. Mcclure
granted the order in Motions Court
ana set Monday as day for a hear
ing on the merits of the petition
after questioning Lester Kaplan,
OPA investigator, on a charge in his
affidavit of refusal" on the part
OF store officials to obey OPA regu-
lations.
Under questioning by the court,
Mr.. Kaplan said he had reminded
Andrew Parker, the stores assist
ant vice president in chage of OPA
compliance, OF alleged violations.
Basis of Charge Given.
Mr.. Kaplan admitted to the court
that Mr.. Parker had never said the
store would not comply with regu-
lations. The Investigator said he
based his charge of refusal to
comply on the fact that he had
called Nh. Parker's attention to
violations and, he said, subsequent
action was not taken on these vio-
lationS by the store.
Justice Mcclure said that in his
opinion the facts in the affidavit
die not warrant the charge of re
fusal to comply" but that charges
of failure" to comply warranted is
suance Of a temporary restraining
order and, he said a hearing should
be held on the merits Of the case.
An affidavit by John Faith, OPA
investigator, charged the firm with
failure to post ceiling prices and
violation of posting regulations in
various departments of the store,
including the following: Cosmetic,
Womens hosiery, Women'S under
wear, ladies' sport and dress coat,
mems clothing and childrens shoe
department.
Seven Departments Investigated.
Mr.. kaplan said he investigated
the following seven departments of
the store: Infants wear. luggage,
hosiery, blankets and bedding, cor
sets and brassieres, furniture and
costume slips.
He cited, among others, the fol-
loving instances Of price ceiling
violations: ID Infants wear. coat
sets with a ceiling price of S1395
and selling price of $685.; q,
luggage, base period statements do
not contain adequate description of
any commodity listed, base period
statements incomplete in that more
than rs items offered for sale in
March do not appear on the state
ment; 49, Women'S slips, lace
trimmed rayon, with a maximum
price Of Sl.95 and selling price OF
1925; a. women's hose, hose No.
ia with March price of 81 and
q selling price of $l35: 81 corsets
and brassieres, brassiere style 6O4.
with listed March price of 1925
and a selling price Of $3.50 81
blankets and sheets, bedSpread with
March price of $685. and listed
ceiling Of $3.50.
Similar examples were cited on
the basis Of Mr.. Kaplans investiga-
ton Of other departments.
Store Has No Statement.
The failure, neglect and refusal
of Woodward & Lothrop to comply .
with the Emergency Price Control
Act OF 1912 and the general maxi /
mum price regulation has and will !
continue to cause irreparable dam !.
age to the anti-infation program of /
the administration, Mr.. Kaplan
said in his affidavit
He said that because the store
failed to comply with the record
keeping requirement Of the regula-
ton. it has been virtually impossible
to check the number and extent of
the OVerchargeS. This, he observed.
means that the consuming public
has been forced to pay prices for
cost -Of-lVing commodities in excess
Of the legal maximum prices and
there is no way for the consumers to
show or prove such overcharees.
Officials of Woodward q Lothrop
Raid today that at this time they had
no statement to make regarding the
OPA'S charges.