The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-13
COST 0 LIVING
INQUIR1 NEAR END
Moore Fixes June 3 for Close
of Hearings.
FOOD LAW COST 100000
Representatives of National Whole
sale GrOcers' Association Protests
Against Moore BiII-Package In
bells Would Not Benefit Consumers,
the Association Maintains.

The end Of the high cost OF living in
vestigatlon by the Moore special sub
mittee is in sight After many weeks
of tireless probing into the wherefores
regarding aeroplanic beefsteaks and the
social activities OF various grocers as
sociations the committee heaved a sigh
yesterday afternoon when Chairman
Moore proclaimed that the labors in be-
half Of Washington's consumers wero
near an end.
The next meeting OF the committee. &C
cording TO dates announced by Mr.. Moore,
will be held on May l6, when District in
terests will be given a final hearing. On
May a. the question of weights and
measures will be considered. on May
&c. drugs will be given an inning, and on
June and 3, Pennsylvania, Delaware.
and New Jersey interests will be given
an ear. Mr.. Moore said that he hoped
10 close up with the meeting on June
g. after which the subcommittee will pre-
pare a bin 20 correct the evils unearthed.
William c. Breed. OF New York. counsel
for the National Wholesale. Grocers' As
ISOLATION. was the principal witness heard
yesterday. He protested against the en-
actment OF the Moore bill, requiring the
weight OF package goods TO be indicated
on the labels on the ground, first that
such a law would not be in the interest
OF the consumer. He argued that it didn't
make any difference to the consumer
whether the package he bought was
marked eight ounces" or ten ounces.
Pure Food Law Expensive.
Such a law was not necessary. also.
because present state laws amply cover
the ground He said that a conservative
estimate placed the loss upon manufac-
turers in conforming TO the pure food
law at $5.0O0O0O owing to the amount OF
property which had to be destroyed when
that law was enacted. He thought that II
Congress enacted a weight-branding law
the States would follow suit and a condi-
ton OF chaos would ensue
Representative Pearre got the witness
to say that he believed an injustice had
been done 10 the consumers OF the coun-
try prior TO the enactment Of the pure
food law. Mr.. Breed said that II II could
be demonstrated that a Notwithstanding
provision was Of advantage 10 the con-
sumner he could guarantee that the Ma
tional Wholesale Association would adopt
IT,
Mr.. Breed complained that II would re-
quire a large investment for the manu-
facturers TO conform 70 the proposed
Moore law. owing TO the amount OF
weighing machinery which would have
TO be purchased.
But the weght-brandfng provision
would be Of no more use to the consumer
than would be law requiring the ped
igree OF the COW TO be stamped on the
can containing preserved beef" he as
serted. He admitted that II the law
was passed the consumer would ulti-
mately have TO bear all the expense the
manufacturers would be put 70. for. he
declared. the manufacturers would have
TO do something, and couldn't be expect
ed to go bankrupt.
Fred r. Drake. Of Easton. Pa, first
vice president OF the National Wholesale
Grocers Association. said that Mr.
Breeds statement represented his views.
He said his association had no afiliation
with any other similar organization. He
did not know whether the Southern
Wholesale GrOcers' Association was a
member Of his association. He thought
It was represented only by individuals
Hinton G. Clabaugh. Of Birmingham,
Ala, formerly an independent grocer, who
appeared before the committee Wednes-
day night. resumed his testimony yester-
a. yt
first part Of the afternoon session at q
o'clock. The substance Of his testimony
was that the Southern Wholesale Grocers'
Association had driven him out Of bust
ness because he had sold goods below
the prices fixed by the association. He
showed the committee a box Of dried
apples which appeared to DO OF a pound
size, but which had a false bottom, re-
ducing its contents several ounces.
Mr.. Drake was informed by the COM
mittee that Mr.. Clabaugh had testified
that the Southern Association was in
fair way to completely control trade in
that section, and TO keep out Of the bust
ness men whom II did not want
Mr.. Drake said that the National Asso-
citation didn't follow that policy.
While MIR. Breed was testlfying he was
asked as to the statement of the superin-
tendent Of weights and measures Of the
District that the consumers Of the Dis
trict lost about $500 year in short
weight -four Mr.. Breed said he didn't
know how 20 explain this except on the
ground that keen competition had forced
dealers to reduce the weight Of their
flour bags. But he held that If this had
been done the short-weight bags had been
sold at cheaper rate. so that the con-
sumers did not, after all. lost anything.