The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-21
RLAMEs THE WOMEN
Tango Teas and Bridge Parties Re.
sponsible for High Prices


and bridge parties, which take w
much of the time of the women, play
their part In keeping up the high cost
of living, according to Alfred d Wood
run, manager of the Bureau OF Food
Supply OF the association for lmprov-
ing the Condition of the Poor Mr..
Woodruff who formerly was in the
grocery business, and now runs the
first model store for the association
in Exterior Street, made that state
ment at the conference on the cost of
clean and wholesome food, held I'M
der the auspices of the association at
the Academy OF Medicine yesterday
afternoon. He said:
1--WE do not suggest that the retail
er must not make a legitimate proflt,
but we do know that not less than rs
per cent can be deducted from his
gross profits If the consumer will be-
come as familiar with this all-impor-
tant subject, and give it at least the
time that she now gives to matters Of
less importance such as dress, bridge
parties, and tango teas. If she will SO
do she viii in the first place become
competent to judge as to the quality
of the foodstuffs she uses, she win
provide adequately for the testing OF
short weights and measures. and she
VIII not resort to the hit or miss
system of buying in quantities suffi.
cient only for immediate needs"
The consumer said Mr.. Woodruff.
forced the retailer to charge high pri.
ces by the demands she made for i'm
mediate delivery OF goods. extra
clerks, and trading stamps. She add |
ed to the high cost of living also. he
said, by demanding credit Investi.
CATION showed, he said, that of those
who sought credit, 80 per cent paid |
their accounts in full each month %
per cent in from one to three months
40 per cent never paid their accounts
IN full, always leaving balance. and /
: per cent never paid at all
So much has been written and
said and SO little accomplished" he as
serted, that 1t seems there is no so.
luton OF the problem, and until the
consumer does something the high
cost of living will remain with us.
The cost OF food supplies today is
exceedingly low. In fact, | don't
know II we ever had lowcr market
Rake eggs. The wholesale price OF
resh-,aid eggs, dark. is 20 cents a
lozen; of eggs, white, % cents a doz.
m Pure breakfast cocoa, the same
hat you pay 40 cents pound for IN
Ialf'pound tins, is IL cents pound.
lice is quoted at 2.5 cents. Oranges.
which you pay so, 90 and 10 cents n
czen for, sell at 1926 box. There
GU have bat few examples. You
SIX Why the retailers add from 40 TO
y per cent to the prices; it is be.
ause OF the unusual demands made
pom him. It's because of the credit
emanded and of the yest-pocket pur.
bases.
The cost of food is much more i'm.
ortant to the people of great city
ian lower street car fares or. things
that kind, and this situation is
cid IN the grasp of the consumer. In
he district from Fifty-ninth Street
Seyenty-ninth Street, from Third
venue to the East River, there are
1900 families, which spend $1l.0Oo-
10 a year for their food supply.
N IN position to know that 20 per
mt OF the cost to these 20,S00 fami I
es, or S22OO,0O0, can be wiped out
I'd think of what such a sum would
can to the consumer in that dis.
let"
I'm Just plain grocer Mr. Wood II
III SAID to reporter after the meet. ~
6. Not a doctor or anything like
at, and / know what I'm talking
cut he said. Il know that a good
any persons are not satisfied that G,
ey have the best unless they pay ~
sh prices. ! have sold eggs out of a
same crate at different prices, to
me for 80 cents, to others for as l..
gu as SO or 90 cents. and that is be. 81
2 done by many. The retailers are CT
ICED TO do Il.
III you tell some customers that l
ur best tea is so cents a pound
ey won't believe that they are get. e
g the best, and so they are charg-
20 or so cents, although so cents -
a uOO1 prtra ff,. 90,