Evening star., 1947-04-25
Prince Georges,
Falls Church
Prices
But District Is Held
Unlikely to Join
Newburyport Plan

Two nearby areas, Prince Georges
County, Nd and Falls Church. VI.
are considering adopting the New
buryport tMaSs.) plan for nat 10
per cent cut In retail prices on a
COMMUNICATIVE basis, it was an
nounced today.
But. an official Of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association here
said ne doubted Washington mer-
chants would adopt the plan, which
IS spreading to many communities
OF the Nation, because I'VE stilI
have price-f1xing laws"
Charles T. Hartley, president OF
the Prince Georges County indie
pendent Trade Association, disclosed
that oficials have approached !
number OF merchants, principally
In the Hyattsville area, and they
have pledged 100 per cent cooper
alton. He invited other business
men to report to him at Warfleld
0863.
The Falls Church Chamber Of
Commerce will meet Tuesday night
to take up the proposal for COM
munlty effort to reduce prices. ac-
cording to President John Eakin.
He said sentiment was strong for
adopting the plan.
Sportswear Prices Cut.
AS the plan gathered momentum.
L. w. Foster Sportswear Inc. an
nounced In Philadelphia today that
IT is reducing prices on its fan
line which it estimated will save
consumers about $1.0o0,000. Presi-
dent Lou Foster said the reductions
were aimed at ''revitalizing purchas-
ing power"
Truman Pleased With Campaien.
President Truman Is pleased with
his moral suasion'' campaign
against high prices, which he said
yesterday seems to be getting some
results. He does not plan further
action, however.
The President, at a press con-
ference. expressed pleasure at the
action of Newburyport merchants.
He said he sees no necessity for a
board OF businessmen to be set lin
by the Commerce Department TO
work for voluntary price reductions
as suggested Tuesday by Chester
Bowles, former OPA mead and sta
bilizatien director.
Price Laws Stumbling Block.
Edward D. Shaw, executive secre.
tary OF the Merchant and Manu-
factors Association here, stressed
that the stumbling block to a city,
wide reduction in prices was Fed
eral laws prohibiting price fixing,
either upward or downward.
This does not preclude, he said,
action by individual merchants In
reducing prices.
One chain store here announced q
20 per cent reduction In canned
goods prices, while another has cvs
the price of butter 4 cents pound.
A women's ready-to-wear shops at
1923 Fourteenth street NV. an.
nounced today that 1t was placing
the Massachusetts, plan into opera
ton for a trial period. The shop
said the 10 per cent reduction would
affect all merchandise, including
nylon hose.
Success of the plan, a store official
said, "of course, will depend on CO.
operation we receive from manufac-
turers.'
Southeast Stores Cut Prices.
Two stores in the Fairfax Village
housing developement In Southeast
Washington have adopted the plan
and are offering 10 per cent refunds
on most of the goods. They are a
gift shop at 1856 Pennsylvania ave-
nue Sc, operated by Aaron Borden.
and radio shop next store, operated
by Herman Gainen.
Mr.. Gainen said he hoped the
plan spreads all over town." Mr.,
Borden commented that the Massa-
chusetts plan seems to make
sense"
Other Washington merchants have
announced price reductions In non
food items as high as SO per cent.
An ofncial of one large chain gro
Gerry store commented that at looks
as though decline in some food
prices is pretty well on the way"
He doubted there would be any fur
ther cuts before next week, since
prices have been announced for the
weekend business.
u. 5. May Waive Laws.
President Truman announced re-
Gently the Justice Department was
looking into the possibility of waiv-
ing laws forbidding price fixing in
cases where the objective is to bring
prices down.
should any favorable ruling be
made, then the way would be open
for Washington businesses to act
in concert.
Mr.. Shaw pointed out that .
number OF coal dealers here had not
only dropped coal prices 40 cents
ton, through lower prices at the
mines, but, had added another so
cents ton reduction on their own.
Commodity Prices Drop.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported yesterday a drop OF 0.6 per
cent IN wholesale commodity prices
Tor the week ending last Saturday
ana decline of 0.5 per cent In
retail food prices from March Is to
April Is. But food prices were at .
record high March Is.
An Associated Press survey show
ed declines In spot wholesale prices
OF the following commodities April
"A as compared with q week ago:
scrap steel, turpentine, eggs, cocoa,
conee, flour, lard, butter, hogs, corn
and oats.
increases were reported in hides,
cattle, lamb, rye and cotton.
Unchanged in price we're: Ce-
ment. rubber, bituninous coal, Pc
troleum, linseed oil, steel billets,
lumber, buriap, sugar. wheat, wool,
rayon, cotton cloth. silk, anitimony.
tin, zinc, lead and copper.
Analysts noted that, with the ex-
ception OF scrap steel and tlrpen-
tine, the great "basic industries"
raw materials were unchanged, not
only for the week but also since
April /.
Nonferrous metals remained at
the years high prices.
Navy Observance PIunned
NINA DNY yc A--sf az IH1 nxS~