Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-16

made of flour and water simply. but there
are MANY other matters even besides labor
to be taken into consideration. We doh
get our wood and COAL or lard, or anything
else for nothing There Is also vast auah,
tity of bread given away. There Is not
large baker in the city who does not have
to donate bread to orphan asylums ana
charitable institutions of all kinds, ana 10
beggarS of whom there are apparently more
this wear than ever before. 1t Is rule
among the bakers to refuse no one VINO asks
for 1t, a loaf of bread, and the calls upon
us from those who say they have no money
is something appalling.
Mr.. John NJ. Rueth.
Mr.. John M. Rueth said: mo, the price Of
bread cannot be reduced unless we also re-
duce the wages of our employees. Some
people seem to think that because flour
is not as high as formerly the bakers ought
to sell bread so that the consumer can get
1t for four cents per loaf, but there is no
way to do this and keep up the standard
of quality except by cutting OF the wages
Of our men. and this we do not propose TO
do We tried this once and not only lost
a great deal of money, but got into trouble
with the labor people, and we do not pro-
pose to do anything to have repetition
of that experience.
Star reporters today conversed with sew
eral other bakers on the subject It was
their opinion that there was no likelihood
of any change from the present price.
The Havenner Bakery.
Mr.. Edward Graves, one Of the proprie-
tors of the Havenner bakery, said: 1T is
impossible to make loaf of bread OF the
size in vogue at present and which people
expect to have for Nickel so that it can
be sold at less than four cents wholesale
The entire question hinges more on the
wages of the men who do the baking,
otherwise the journeymen bakers, and but
little on the prices we have to pay for flour.
nrica
have to cut the wages of the bakers, and
this would get us into trouble with the
labor unions, which We do not want. EV-
rything is moving along smoothly now,
and we want to continue in that way.
Therefore, we shall not reduce either the
price of bread or the wages or our men,"
At Schneider's.
Mr. Charles Schneiders manager said:
ut does not make any difference how much
outcry there is for a reduction of the price
of bread, it won't be conceded for the
reason that we can't grant it without low
ering the wages of our employees.
1.-The members of the bakers exchange,
which comprises all the bakeries of size in
the city, are united this matter. We
tried it once before, and not only got into
trouble with the labor unions, but lost lots
of custom, because many people thought
when we reduced the price we lowered the
quality of our bread.
No there will be no change from the
present prices. Our WOrkmen are SdtlSIH'u
with what they are getting, and customers
| of all the bakeries, with the exception of
| a few chronic kickers, are also satisfied"
The Boston Bakery.
| Mr.. Christian Schneider, manager of the
| Boston bakery, said: Il know Of no bet
! ter way to demonstrate that it will be I'M
possible to reduce the price Of bread than
this: When I came to this country in 1886
| 1 took a position at my trade of baking in
| this city, and was glad to get 81 per week
| and bread for my family, consisting Of my
| wife and six children. 1 worked from !
| pm. until 1 am, except that when 1 be-
| gan work Friday afternoon 1 labored hard
| for twenty-seven hours.
| Now the journeyman baker, such as
was then, gets $3.50 per day of ten hours
| and under no circumstances can he De
| forced to work longer. There is no avoid
| ing the fact that If the price of bread is re-
| duced the scale of wages to be paid viii
| have to be lowered likewise.
| There is no prospect whatever of either
| of these events taking place, as there is nc
/ disposition on the part of members of the
| Bakers Exchange to do something thai
| will be certain, if carried into effect, OF
getting them into conflict with the labor
| unions We had one experience of thai
| kind, and don't want any more"