Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-11
And Now the Laundry Trust.
Christian Science Monitor


Suspicion of the existence OF laun-
dry combine mas been growing In
many parts OF the country lately, but
tangible evidence is only now coming
to the surface. The various advances
In prices by the piece and by the dozen
were for "A long time believed BY pat
rons OF the laundrieS to be purely sym
pathetic and Incidental to the higher
cost Of living. Evidence. however. Is
coming to light which would seem to
go far toward proving. should the at
torney general OF the United States
care to go into the matter. that these
advances are not wholly unwarranted
by existing industrial conditions but.
rather, are brought about by an under
standing among laundrylnen and laun-
dry corporations which enables them
to fix prices arbitrarily and to large
degree in restraint of the natural in
clination of the American people TO
wear clean things.
Thus, little wash articles that were
formerly sent to the laundries after one
wearing are now taxed so high that
they are not sent until they have been
worn twice or. maybe. three times.
The addition of a cent, or even a frac-
ton of cent. to the laundry cost OF
each small piece brings the cost in the
aggregate to the individual. to say
nothing about the large family. up to
a considerable figure. But because 1t
is possible, altho not desirable, to prac-
tice small economies such az that re-
ferred to above. the advance In the
rate by the piece or by tho dozen has
not caused nearly as much unrest thru
out the country as the attempt OF the
laundries to fix. the terms upon laun-
dry done in bulk.
Here is where Attorney General
Wickersham may be Interested. Hotels.
restaurants, barber shops and large
families having no lnundries of their
own, have been dealing with the pub
lie laundres for years on the bulk
system. That u.s. they were charged
and they paid certain price the hun
dred pieces. with pro rata charges for
pieces OF number below that figure.
Latterly. in many places. It is alleged.
the laundries have undertaken to break
down this custom. a specific and IL
Illustrative instance Ia to be found In
indianapolis. a master barber OF that
city reports that formerly q certain
laundry took his towels at rs cents the
hundred and charged him at that rate
lOL 1IdCtIOIAS u d uuuuieu IttCehtiS.
however, 1t insisted upon his paying 25
cents. no matter how few towels the
bundle might contain. When he en-
tered a protest against this the laun-
dry deprived him of its agency. Fur
! thermore, he soon found not only that
! all tho other laundries were charging
| for towels In the same manner, but al
so that they would not take his work
or permit him to represent them on
commission.
| 1t Is possible, OF course. that we have
AZ yet heard only one side OF the Ques
ton. but If we have heard the true
side and the laundry trust or combine
is going to spread and grow In power.
| it Will be able. If 1T proceeds along the
| Indianapolis lines, to do things to the
| public that none of the other trusts or
combines. dissolved. dissolvine or un-
touched. would have thought of doing.
! One can not think calmly OF being shut
out by the laundries thru summer,
I for instance, or of submitting to the
alternative OF suppressing all evidence
of dissatisfaction when the things come
back I'm tatters and buttonless. There
must be relief for this situation some
where and it might be a feather in the
cap of any statesman, regular or in
surgent who should succeed in point
| ing out where it is to be found.