The Detroit times., 1910-12-23
EDITORIALS BY THE PEOPLE.
Where's the Full Pound Loaf?

To the Editor of The Times: In all
the daily papers last Monday, the slid
ing scale bakers showed their So
licitous fatherly care Through the
srocers) for the bread consumers.
Some grccers refused TO sign the
bakers resolution. and one grocer In
the north end was bold, he was not
looking to his OWN INTERESTS as
he could sell more - once than l6
once loaves during the year. hence
more profits. but he did not sign the
so-called grocers' resolution concocted
| BY the solicitious bakers.
In their full page advertisement
| they made several erroneous charges,
one of which was: AN effort is be-
ing made by a political organization
! TO change the bread ordinance"
Why did they not say. meeting
was called last June by the ordinance
committee to consider petition of
/ over 800 citizens Including grocers)
10 destroy the sliding scale ordinance.
What about the petition from 800.
members OF the peddlers' union. and
other citizens. all have 2345 23i5G--
other citizens, all hard working peo-
pie. consumers CT more bread than
anything else?
! The Taft club took no part in the
petition or meeting last June, but did
take action in the last month when
! they were informed that seven months
had elapsed and still no action in the
council. The Taft club is not only
political, hut also a business organ
ization, looking after the north end
improvements, and it's personnel is
composed of good law-abiding citi-
zens
Second. "The present ordinance pro-
tects you by label showing the
weight of each loaf"
What a farce this label has proven
to be. protected by the new ordi-
nance. When wheat and -four drop
ped all this year. had they rightly
used 10 once instead of 13 ouce
label? The sliding scale wuold have
worked more equitably to the con-
sumer.
Third, "The old ordinance provides
no such protection"
This stateemnt is intended to be-
fog the issue.
The old ordinace demanded a full
pound loaf. and when detectives found
bakers cheating the consumer, they
were hauled into court and fined.
Under the amended ordinance, any
baker or all, can make any size loaf
just by putting on a stamp. Under
the present conditions, it would take
an army Of detectives to keep track
Of the labeled bread. Our officer OF
measures and seals, says: Give us
the old ordinance to work under"
Fourth. Your grocer says the pres
ent ordinance is best, and has you in
mind when he says so"
What a combined, persuasive force
to instruct our citizens and aldermen
what is best for them in the way, OF
an ordinance that commands full
pound loaf, or a labeled loaf governed
by a sliding scale, which so far hsa
slid into the Golfers of bakers aud
their confederates.
II the bakers are so solicitious for
the consumers interests, and must
raise a cent on both the one and two
pound loaf, they can set their dough
cutting machines to IL or Is onces
to make up the difference of a frac-
ton OF a cent. But they say: NO
we will have our own way-or moth
ing"
On hearing many complaints from
citizens of my ward last spring. con-
ferred with my old colleague, Aid.
Gutman, who is a practical baker. and
he said If petitions were circulated
he would present the INTO the council.
which he did. and also expressed him.
self as against the present ordinance
saving 1t gave too much power
into the hands OF few" And no
doubt he with other bakers who are
making a full pound loaf. are still of
The same opinion.
WIN. p. KINGSLEY.
Ex-Alderman.
Detroit. Mich, Dec. %. 1910.
White npaTls that bring high