The Detroit times., 1910-12-28

The public has tor many years ossn
abe 10 purchase bread a. nve cents !or
small LOAF IN 1907 IL became neces-
sary under tho ordinance hxing tne
minimum size at 10 ounces. TO raise the
price OF bread To slN cents per loat.
A ne result WAS an Immediate and very
large reduction IN the safe OF bread.
TINS meant that the bakers were
forced TO curtait expenses IN every
way possible scores OF workingmen
were thrown out OF employment, TO
compete with other men Tor work Ia
other lines, which had the effect OF
further reducing, by excess OF compe-
tition for joUs, the wage-earning
power OF many other workingmen.
The present bread ordinance was
adopted after "A very extensive inves.
4 ugation by your Honorable Body. and
W. Ahout a single vote against the pres.
ent ordinance.
since that time, the public has been
| so well-pleased with the size. quality
and price OF the bread that more bread
is now being baked and sold than
ever before in the history or the city.
In view OF the fact that any house.
wife can make bread or some substi-
J tute for bread without any large In.
show that the public IL satisfied with
! the bread
1t is how proposed on behalf OF
/ they have been iII-treatcd by the two
or three bakers with whom they must
deal because OF their loyalty to their
faith. 70 put into force the old ls-
This means that bread must be rails.
| ed 10 six cents for the small loai. and
Z, IT follows logically and certainly. as
our experience has shown. that the
public will no longer buy bread. but
viii demonstrate the impossibility OF
a bread trust. by baking Its own
bread
Ii further follows that with reduc-
tion of output there must be reduc-
tion In the employment or labor:
al A. n
10y the automobile Industries are out OF
work now. Will you add to their num-
ber many more workingmen to COM
pete for employment and generally cut
down the price OF labor?
| With tens OF thousands OF unem-
ployed tramping the streets In searcn
that they Will not have 80 much money
to spend. even for the necessaries or
life. and that means less business gen
orally which in tho revolution OF the
circle of supply and demand Will In
stantly show Itself in n decrease In the
output OF Detroit factories and con-
seduent reduction in the prosperity OF
| the city.
Are you willing. in view Of the fact
| that there Is no general demand for
change in the bread ordinance. to take
the responsibility OF throwing IA great
many men out OF work?
| There are many other arguments to
be advanced. such as the fact that tho
Detroit bakers supply almost all OF the
surrounding towns with bread. and II n
l6-ounce minimum loaf is enforced,
these towns Will be flooded with cheap /.
rapids, JACKSON. Saginaw. Bay City
and Toledo. thus throwing out or work
many other bakers in Detroit -
" has been argued that smaller
trade This is impossible, because the
loaves baked for the outside towns and
cancelled by telegraph as is frequently;
done, could not be sold in Detroit and
would total loss.
For the sake of the business pros
peritv OF the City OF Detroit and es-
} many men as possible busy at profit
able employment. We petition your
Honorable Body TO take no steps to
change the bread ordinance.
We have only to show you the labels
marked twelve ounces" which are be-
ing put on bread sold In Chicago. MIL
, waukee. Denver and many other cities.
which are attached hereto. to show You
that the bakers Of Detroit have pro-
tected the Detroit public even when
-four and other ingredients have great
You can readily see that when the
ingredients OF bread are reduced in
cost. the fourteen n-ounce loaf viii be
restored in Detroit. and while We are
, not wheat spectators and cannot pre-
dict the markets. we are Informed that
!, such reductions are likely to come
Yours respectfully.
ROBERT NJ MORTON,
President Morton Baking Co.
GORDON-pAGEL co.
| WAGNER BAKING co.
COPE BAKING co.
J Cope. President
BARRE a. SALADfN
| VAN DYKE BAKERY.
| LOUIS STEINER.
HERMAN HOFTD.
y KAISER
AUGUST c WOLLENZZIN.
NEWBERRY BAKING co,
Louis Newberrv. President.
SHELLS DAIRY BAKERY.
Bv F. \. SHE'LL.
W F. TIEAMFS co.
, AUGUST BATfER.