Show IlK LK Ho FL C Co L E y Ralph F. F Couch Press Staff Correspondent Jan 27 27 La have vast profits during the five sy of the governments government's ign to reduce prices of ties ties- Investigation by two gov- gov t departments indicated t tot to- to t Ie middle of August when en eny y General Palmer announced JS ag going after the price i 0 reports show that ces paid farmers for tor prin- prin crops ops decreased from 34 to toC C f cent each month accord- accord 0 the e agriculture department ce ces ces' paid by consumers Ind me In- In e ad d T continuously until they e ed ei I the highest point in his- his in December according to thor ibor department EMEN BLAMED BLAMED seem to indicate that nen are buying cheaper than ever before but receiving the highest prices in history According to the agriculture de department department department de- de th the level of of prices paid producers of the principal crops crop at atthe atthe the farm decreased like this 34 per percent percent percent cent in August 87 per cent in September Sep Sop 3 37 7 per cent In October and 47 per cent in November Part of this is due to a seasonal falling of off offin offin in demand agriculture department officials say But over a year ten-year period the average decreases due to seasonal demand were only 12 per percent percent cent In August 2 per cent in September September Sep Sep- Sepi i 36 per cent in October and I 36 per cent in November I Prices paid farmers for pro meat pro meat animals also have decreased 1 In Inthe inthe the last five months in Ia greater proportion proportion proportion pro pro- portion than th the average seasonal de decreases decreases decreases de- de creases for the year ten-year peri period d. d In Inthe Inthe Inthe the month ending August 1919 prices price decreased 13 per cent as compared compare with a customary increase of 1 18 8 pe per percent percent cent for the year ten-year average in September September September Sep Sep- 1919 per cent decrease a as asI compared with a customary Increase I of 26 per cent in October 9 1 pe per percent percent cent decrease as compared with witha a seasonal seasonal seasonal sea sea- decrease of 18 per cent ent and ana in November 29 per cen cent decrease a as compared with 38 per cent decrease for the year ten-year average INCREASES REVEALED The history of the increase in prices price prices prices' paid by producers for two twenty-two articles is shown by the labor department depart depart- depart I ment nent index numbers as beginning in I September In that month the index figure of prices of principal commodities commodities commodities commo commo- was In October it remained the he same but in November It it jumped to and in December had raised it itself itself it- it self to Thus from September to December the Index figure Increased nine points What this means is seen in the labor laor la- la bor or departments department's report from November November Novem- Novem ber er 15 to December 15 lS which shows that hat retail prices increased as follows Cabbage 36 per cent onions 17 per percent percent percent cent granulated sugar 16 per cent strictly fresh eggs eggs 11 per cent potatoes pota- pota toes oes 10 per cent flour 4 per cent butter jutter and storage eggs 3 per cent I fresh resh milk 2 per cent and lamb Iamb evaporated evaporated orated milk oleomargarine and rice 1 per cent each |