New-York tribune., 1909-04-18
BAKERS WILL PROTEST
TO ADDRESS CONGRESS-.
National Association Wants Uhedt
Speculation Stopped.

Preparations being made by the National
Association of Master Bakers for great protest
to Congress against speculation in food products,
due 10 the wheat corner at Chicago. which has
forced the price of -four up far that the bust
Of bakers is said to be ieopardized. Charles
L. Abbott of No. 236 Eighth avenue the treasurer.
said last night that the president. Simon Hubig.
of Cincinnati had the subject under consideration
and would soon be ready TO act This association.
with membership of about three thousand. en-
braces not only the most prosperous bakers in the
United States, but also bakers supply houses ana
milers.
Mr.. Abbott said that R. B. Ward. of Pttsburg.
former president OF the association initiated the
movement for protest to Congress. Nh Ward
has bakeries in Pittsburg Chicago Minneapolis,
! Boston and Providence and planning big
branch in this city. Soon after the corner be
came apparent. correspondence with the leading
bakers in the country begun. and there was
united sentiment in favor of ringing protest.
The situation is extremely serious Mr.. Abbott
said Some of the bakers in this city have already
reduced the weight of the loaves and II the price
of -four continues rise. there will no doubt be
a general reduction of weight 1t has resolved IL
self into condition requiring one Of three th1ngs
To reduce the weight increase the price or go out
of business. Bakers are all losing money now. Ot
course most of do not believe the perlod ol
high price Of flour will last much longer But II
it does. it must be admitted that the consumer
should stand a share of the increased cost Of the
| raw material
Mr.. Abbott is a member of the state assoclauon'
which will of course, cooperate with the natlonal
body The Hebrew Bakers Association. which has
membership scattered throughout the city but
especially numerous the East Side is the strong
est organization of bakers in Manhattan the sec
retary, II. Brayer, said last night that ms asSo
citation had decided not to meet until Friday night
There would be conferences Tuesday and Wednes-
day nights but these would be secret. An ad-
visory committee, of which Jacob Book the preSi-
dent of the association. is chairman, has been
busily engaged in canvassng the situation ever
since the price of flour began to soar.
We have decided TO take care OF the small baker
in a practical way" Mr- Brayer said The mem
hers of our association bake about 10000 one-Pound
and two-pound loaves day. There are several big
bakers. who large contracts for flour at prices
a good deal below the present figures. They have
Joined forces and VIII supply the small bakers at
contract prices until the wheat corner is broken II
it is broken If not. they viii give the small bakers
the advantage Of the contracts as long as they are
in force. This viii give substantial relief
While situation is discouraging Mr. Brayer
said 1t is not quite black as generally painted
We are meeting conditions in the right way now.
The weight of the large loaves viii be reduced four
/ ounces and the small loaves two ounces This
should enable the small bakers 10 produce without
losing money They will not he compelled 10 reduce
, wages nor shut down. and it may not be necessary
to raise the price uuediy There is no occasion for
panic. And there won't be panic. nor VIII there
be riots if it should be necessary raise the price
the consumer will understand that II was neces
sary."
There was an intention to make uniform in
crease Of one cent loaf FOR rye and wheat bread
but the advisory committee thought better OF IL.
There are bakers throughout the city who nave IN
creased prices but not by concerted acton I lheIe
have been deuials that the better class "f bakers
have reduced weight or their loaves in any In
stance officer of the state association SAID
yesterday that weight cutting had been begun seF-
eral months ago on small scale throughout the
shops
Milling companies have been figuring profits IN
the last few days representative OF one OF the
largest said yesterday that It required no
expert TO show that there was little money In the
milling business at the present pTic" 81 wheat II
takes about four bushels and ten pounds OF "neat
to ma ke barrel Of -four. Figuring wheat al y :"
a bllshel and taking the cost of production ana as
tribution into account. he thought II was no eN-
orgeratioD to saw that five cents barrel was the
maximum profit 8 20 a barrel