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Show COST OF LUG BEI1REDUCED . PRICES BEGINNING TO TURN DOWNWARD, DECLARES ATTORNEY GENERAL Slump Has Not Yet Gathered Momentum, Momen-tum, But He Advises Publlo to Give Government Chance' to Show What It Can Do. Washington. Prices nro beginning to turn downward In various parts, of thu country, but tho slump hns not yet gathered momentum sufficient to affect af-fect purchases for Immediate use, according ac-cording to reports to the. department of Justice. Attorney General Palmer, asked how soon results could bu expected from tho campaign to reduce the cost of flvlng, said all thu government wanted wns a fiflr chance to show what could be done to take tho artificial Inflation out of the market. Hu said officials were well pleased with the success so fur attained and thnt cumulative results re-sults wero expected when congress enacts amendments to tho food-control law by which criminal' penalties can be Imposed on profiteers nud hoarders. "We hope the public will begin to. reap thu benefit of our efforts before-long," before-long," Mr. Palmer sold. "For Instance, wo are making progress In obtaining promises from shoo manufacturers as to fixing a limit beyond which prlc shall not go." Propaganda which Is apparently na-t na-t Ion-wide, on tho port of shopkeeper seeking to induce purchases now oik tho pretext that prices will ho materially mate-rially higher next season, was condemned con-demned by Mr. Palmer 110 ono certain, thing which would mako prices continue con-tinue rising If heeded. His attention was culled to advertisements In vu- . rlous papers titatlng straw hats, clothing cloth-ing and other non-perishable articles should bo bought before next year's prices becomo effective. "It Is' very unfortunate that some merchants take that attitude, 11 ml we have been studying the situation," the nttorncy general said. "Extensive purchases pur-chases now, reducing thu supply and Increasing thu demand, would make-their make-their predictions come true, whereat wo hopo for a normal price level If ' the pcoplo do not stampede Into a. buying hysteria." |
