The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-05-15

Interpretations of the general
maximum price regulation of great
Importance to retailers, for whom
the overall price ceiling goes into
effect next Monday, were issued
through the Regional Information
Cfi1ce, OEM, II Court street, Bos.
ton, today by Price Administrator
Leon Henderson, in question and
answer form.
@. Can the requirement that a
retailer display ceiling prices of
ost-of-living articles be satisfied
by a book, loose-leaf folder, or a
card index, showing maximum
prices, located near the merchan-
disc?
A. No, the general maximum price
regulation states that the ceiling
on the specified cost-of Living ar
ticles must be marked in a man
ner plainly visible to the pur-
chasing public This means that
customer should see the ceiling
price in the normal course of pur-
chasing, without having to seach
in any way for it,
@. How may a retailer post his
list of maximum prices?
A. He may display list Of maxi
mum prices for group of cost-of-
living articles on single sheet
prominently displayed, but it is not
permissible to post several layers of
such lists ON top of one another
SO that it would be necessary for
q customer to thumb through such
lists.
@. If the maximum price under
the regulation Is less than the price
required under fair trade contract
in a state having a fair trade or
unfair trade practice law Ssales-
below-cost laws which controls, the
regulation, or the state fair trade
contract?
A. The regulation controls
@. How will price ceilings he de-
term:ned where identical articles
have been sold under different
brand names at different prices?
A. The seller cannot sell the
lower price brand at the price for
the higher price brand. Different
brands are different commodities.
@. A manufacturer has brands
A and B, each the same quality
and size. A sells at 10 centss B at
Is cents. Can he begin G of the
same item to sell at IL cents?
A. No, he must take price OF
most similar branded commodity
with same use, serviceability and
designed to sell in same prfce line
Since new brand G has not adyer-
Using history. trade usage or pub
lie acquaintance to enhance its
value, it Is most similar tq the Il
cent brand. Whether brand A Is
dropped or continued at 90 cents
is immaterial. If the manufactures
merely rebrands his article a sale
at a higher price is violation. Re-
branding does not make q differ
ent article. We have ruled earlier
that different brands are different
commodities. but that is so only
where the brands were already on
the market, thereby receiving pub
lie recognition as different eommo-
dities.
q. A dress manufacturer sold
nine style numbers at $l4bO per
dozen. During March he raised
price Oh three most popular style
numbers 10 $3.50, but sold 0llly
Two of these style numbers 40 the
higher price. What wOuti be his
magimnm price on the tlEree num-
beers raised?
A, Only the two style plumbers
actually sold and delivered az the
higher price have the h'GgleR Inagi'
mum price, Al other maKlmuin
prices are sl4b0,
q, A retailer during March sold
a l0t of substantially similar dresses
an costing $3.50, Ia two lsriee lines,
more attractive style numbers ~
R7Db, and less aitFaciiy@ NJ S6D9,
Is sTD5 tbs ceiling price G0F ali
styles IN the l0t7
A, No, each style number Is q
separate commodity ana must pe
price ut us own highest Aatch
price, Also, where 4 retailer SOLD
IN March q DOT Of substantially
similar dresses IN two tgFlee Hines,
his naglmun prices on similar lots
must be distributed nnl0lHg the two
g1rlee lines IN d proportion that ~
IA close as possible 10 tiss prop0rs
ton used IN March, but keeping tlle
March prices for style numbers sod
during March and repeated 10 the
second lot,
q. II Tie Fize Of q product. or
il,e number Of articles az quantity
a reduced, can the same prize ~
charged f0r n. as before the Fedues
ll0n in sire az aiiantlty7
A. no. the illaAilnliiis prize mutt
u reduced Ia Ihe same proportion