Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
FIX PRICES OUTSIDE
Figures for Food Decided on
at Foreign Centers.
RESUME OF INQUIRY GIVEN
Scope of the Investigation Will Be
Enlarged.
MORE SESSIONS TO BE HELD
Committee of the Chamber of Com
merce Decides to Look Into Rents
and Cost of Clothing.
MORE SESSIONS TO BE HELD

After hearing it stated in a review OF
| the results thus far accomplished that
the figure obtaining for foodstuffs in
Washington are the prices fixed at for
eign centers of distribution, the commit
| tee of the Chamber of Commerce which
is investigating the problem of the high
| cost of living in the District yesterday
afternoon decided to extend it's inquiry so
| as to cover the increases, If any have
occurred within the past few years. in
| house rents and in the cost of clothing.
Incident to its meeting yesterday after
| noon the committee received with regret
the resignation of its chairman. Allen d.
Albert, jr., who is leaving the city to as
sumo the publication Of the Columbus.
| Ohio. Evening News. Louis j. Willige
was appointed to succeed MIR. Albert.
The resume of the inquiry, which has
extended over about eight sessions in the
last month, and has resulted in the pro-
duction of testimony from many of the
most prominent dealers enlisted in diff
ferent lines of merchandising in the Dis
trict, was given by Mr.. Albert. 1t was
stated to be the conclusions which he
had reached by virtue of his close at
tention to. and leadership in, the investi-
cation. Mr.. Albert said:
ITO my mind 1t has been shown that
the major portion Of the supplies used in
the District of Columbia are imported
from foreign sources-that is. from other
cities of the country; that the prices
which rule for the various products in
the District, with the single exception of
eggs, are the prices fixed upon them at
the foreign centers of distribution; that
the average profits to the local retailer
have not materially changed with the
variations In prices; that the higher prices
of farm products are due to the lessening
in the supply of farm labor and the in
crease in cost of farm labor; that, SO
far as the tariff affects the market it
has operated to reduce the available sup
ply of necessities-potatoes might be cited
as one example of this fact"
Effect of Cold Storage.
Mr.. Albert added that the report of
the committee at the conclusion Of its
labors should show its deductions con-
cerning the effect of cold storage upon
food prices, and he recommended that the
inquiry be pressed to cause the produc-
ton of the records of the local cold stor-
age plants SO that it could be definitely
"IclHeT the COlu SlOTdSe Ol
certain products operated in such a way
as to cause an even f1ow of commodities
to meet the demands of the market, or
whether the control of the cold storage
| facilities was SO regulated that certain
foodsluffs. purchased and stored when
prices were low., were not released for
consumption until the prices were alb
normally high.
"If any legislation Is to be recon-
mendeo at this stage of the proceeding,
| / certainly think it should call for
regulation of the cold storage ware
| houses, Mr. Albert said, in conclusion,
| and this regulation should take such
| form that the control of the market
would be placed beyond the grasp of the
| interests which sway the prices of food
| stuffs at the expense of the public. 1t
| should require that articles of food be
| stamped with the. dates they are placed
| in storage. and stamped again with the
| dates they are released for consumption,
] and if it be made a violation of law
| to sell offer for sale foodstuffs that
| have been subjected to refrigeration for
| greater periods than the law prescribe it
| is obvious that the cold storage houses
would take their proper economic place.
| Then they would be operated to preserve
| the surplus of foOdstuffs In seasons when
| production is in excess of consumption,
| for use when production falls below
| consumption"