Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-03
MORE WITNESSES HEARD
Breakfast Foods Are Sampled Dur
ing the Testimony.
Representatives Ask Many Cues
lions Regarding Purposes Of A.
sociations Of Wholesalers
and Retailers.

Representative ]. Hampton Moore of
Pennsylvania and his associates on the
District special food committee consumed
breakfast food this morning while in
Quiring into the benevolent SOCIAL Or
Ganisations OF wholesalers and retailers
in the National Capital. The breakfast
food was furnished by Ellis L. Rowland
Of the Kellogg Company of Battle Creek.
Mich, who appeared to protest against
the enactment OF legislation to require
the net weight Of the contents Of q pack.
age to be plainly printed upon 1t.
Incidentally, this SOCIAL feature, pre-
viously referred to, appears to be quite
the fashionable thing among business
men these days. According to testimony
given before the committee during the
last week or 20. the tomato Gamers, the
oyster packers. the pea putters-up and
almost every other class Of package food
tons.
To Probe "Social" Feature.
Il am going to inquire deepy into
this social proposition about which we
have heard 80 much of late,' said q
member OF the Moore committee after
the hearing this morning, and 1
wouldn't be surprised II we found out
that the safe-blowers and the porch
climbers have social organizations. too. -
Percival M. Brown appeared before
the committee as attorney for the
Wholesale Grocers' Association of the
District Of Columbia
What are the objects of the associa-
tion?' inquired Chairman Moore
Largely social" Mr.. Brown replied.
blandly.
The members of the committee smiled
broadly and some of the wholesale and
retail grocers who formed the audience
Mr.. Brown opposed Representative
Moore's bill providing that all packages
Of foods must be labeled plainly with
the weight OF tho contents.
not practical, and, II the present bill
were enacted into law, that the burden
imposed upon the wholesale grocers OF
the District in the way OF labelling pack
not required to be labeled under the
interstate law would be more than they
could bear.
isn't 1t q fact" queried Mr.. Moore.
that the members of this association
have spent time and money to prevent
retailers in the District from buying
direct from the manufacturer
Wants Other Side Presented.
mot to any extent" replied Mr.. Brown.
Il imagine that some representations
have been made to this committee. We
would better air the other side Of the
question
Mr.. Moore suggested that this was just
what he wanted to do.
THE wholesaler" said Mr.. Brown,
''onlv sells to the retailer. but any re-
taller can come to the wholesaler and
buy goods
Even n he Is not a member Of the
Retail Grocers' Association asked Mr.
Moore.
"well." replied Mr. Brown. hesitating
a bit. that might make q difference
The members of the committee had a
chance to smile again-and improved it.
Then Mr.. Brown started to tell of the
troubles Of the Eureka Grocery Company,
which. he said. had started out to monop-
olise the Wholesale trade Of the District
Of Columbia.
us that a social organisation, too?''
INQUIRED Representative johnson Of Ken
lucky.
Mr.. Brown replied that he didn't think
well" said Mr. johnson, IT am glad
to ind one organization that 10 not So
cial."
Tells of Eureka Company.
Continuing his tale Of the Eureka Gro
cory Company. Mr.. Brown said that this
concern proposed to sell to its own men,
bers. who had subscribed to one 500
share Of stock. at cost. plus per cent,
and to outsiders at the regular wholesale
rates. and declare a dividend, when pos
sible, to its own shareholding member
ship. But some grocers, he said. refused