Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-21
Businesses Face
Spot Check on
Price Records
DeudIine Tomorrow
Charts on Clothing,
Furniture Deferred
By jones 6. Deone

Washington businessmen face
an important price control dead
line this week, while for some of
them another one has been post
poned.
Tomorrow is the day on
which price records required under
the general freeze regulation of
January Is must be ready for In
spection by the Government. Spot
checks are expected.
For 1900 or more retailers of
clothing, furniture and floor COW
erings, however, the deadline on
pricing charts, originally due
March %. has been moved to April
30 This change was announced
late yesterday, following country
wide protest against the burden
of paper work.
Figures Required.
Under the general freeze. manu-
facturers, wholesalers and retail
ers are required to have these fig
ures available:
l. A record of prices charged
during the base period Decem-
Der 10. 1850. to January Is, 1851,
inclusive. For wholesalers and
retailers. also records showing the
latest net cost of goods purchased
in that period.
2. A list of the categories of
commodities or services sold or
offered for sale during the base
period.
3. A list Of ceiling prices on the
commodities or services sold or
offered for sale during the base
period. Retailers may substitute
for this list notation on all pur-
chase invoices of the price charged
for commodities sold, or offered
for sale.
4. A statement of customary
price differentials for terms and
conditions of sale and classes of
purchasers, in effect during the
base period.
Must Keep Records.
Sellers also are required to keep
customary current records of
prices, as we'll as records showing
the basis of ceiling prices on goods
which were not sold or offered
during the base period.
Lloyd Williamson. District en-
forcement officer, said he has not
yet received orders from the Rich
mond regional Office on carrying
out the first inspections. National
Enforcement Chief Edward P.
Morgan, however, has indicated
that checking will be ordered
shortly.
Retailers affected by yesterdays
deadline postponement are those
covered by ceiling price regulation
7. applying to clothing Except
furs). furniture and department
stores. While they do not need to
comply with the first and fourth
items above, they must prepare
special pricing charts and file
copies by April 80 with the local
Office of Price Sterilization.
February "a List Date"
These charts list the merchan-
disc offered for sale on the "list
date" February "a, 1851, the per-
centage of lnarkup and the in
voice which Identifies the cost
listed.
The regulation sets forth in de-
tail how to compute this markup.
The merchant will not be allowed
to exceed it.
There are no forms issued by
OPS for the pricing chart. There
is, however, a form called the
Base Period Initial Percentage
MAKEUP or Gross Margin Report. Z"
Retailers must file this along with
the charts, which they make up
themselves.
OPS says retailers must receive
written acknowledgment of fl
ing by May 80 or they cannot sell
any of the commodities covered
by the regulation. They may file
as soon as they wish, however,
and price under the new system
as soon as acknowledgement Is
received.
Prices of stock covered by the
original freeze may not be raised,
but those on new merchandise
are expected in some cases to be
higher. In others they may be
lower, officials say.