Evening star., 1914-08-18
DISTRICT Warns
WHOLESALE MEN
Must Co. Operate in Campaign
to Reduce the High Cost
Of Living.
BUYING GROUPS WILL BE
FORMED BY MRS. LOGAN
Head of Federation Of Woman's
Clubs Enthusiastic Over Plan Of
Supt. Sherman.

While. the federal government agents
are working the country over in an at
tempt to break the backbone of high
prices, District government officials and
citizens have passed the theoretical stage
of high cost of living and are now about
to put into practice concrete plan for
lowering prices. This morning, John H.
Sherman, superintendent of weights,
measures and markets of the District,
visited wholesalers a. the municipal fish
wharf and the Haskell produce market
and told them just how the District gov
ernment would handle any dealer who
attempted to quote higher prices to the
ultimate consumer buying i'll wholesale
lots than quoted to retailers.
Enthusiastic over the plan of Mr.
Sherman to have groups of families buy
in wholesale lots. Mrs. Ellis Logan,
president of the District of Columbia
Federation of Womens Clubs, and prom
inent during the winter months in es-
tablishing and leading a successful boy
colt on eggs. is making plans for or
ganizing groups of family buyers to
take advantage of Mr.. Shermans plans.
Mrs. Logan said she had been in con-
ference with Mr.. Sherman. and that she
believed his plan to be an excellent one.
A representative of Mrs. Logan held an
other conference with Mr.. Sherman this
morning, and will make her report to
the federatfon's president either this
Afternoon or tomorrow morning.
Mass Meeting Is Planned.
Although the federation is not sched-
uled to begin it's regular meetings until
October, Mrs. Logan said she would i'm
mediately hold conferences with sew
eral members of the executive commit
tee with a view to setting date for a
mass meeting when the plan Of whole
sale buying could be outlined and the
groups Of buyers formed. If the meeting
can be arranged 1t will be held in the
Public Library. where the federation
holds Its regular meetings, and it prob
ably will be held Saturday morning,
according to Mrs. Logan.
The plan outlined by Mr.. Sherman is
an excellent one," said Mrs. Logan this
morning, land 1 believe it can be made
to work as soon as the people under
stand how they may profit by it. I am
willing and anxious to do everything in
my power to assist in bringing down
Just at the present time busy on the year
book of the federation, will confer with
my associates Immediately with the OBJ
ject Of holding a large mass meeting
where the groups OF buyers can be or
ganized for their mutual benefit"
Wholesale Dealers Warned.
Wholesale dealers at the municipal fish
wharf and Haskell produce markets will
be required to cooperate with the Dis
trict authorities in their campaign for
reducing the high cost of living.
Refusal on the part of any wholesaler
to give to a consumer prices and quail
ties equivalent to those he would give a
retail dealer under the same conditions
will be followed by a, revocation Of his
license to engage in business at either
of these provisioning centers, 1t was
learned today.
This decision is in line with the plans
of Supt. Sherman to aid householders to
organize in small groups to buy COM
modities at wholesale prices.
Mr.. Sherman will recommend that pur-
chases be made at the municipal fish
wharf and Haskell produce market
since these institutions come under the
supervision Of the District and 1t Is pos
sible to make them instrumentalities for
real good in the present high-priced-food
crisis.
Campaign for Indefinite Period.
All that will be required of the whole
salers is that they make no distinction
in prices or quality between the pur-
chases of retail dealer and a consum-
er who buys in wholesale lots. The
fish market and Haskell market former
ly known as the farmers produce mar
ket, are essentially municipal institu-
tions maintained by the District for the
benefit of its citizens. and the Commis-
sioners have Determined to increase their
efficiency to the highest degree possible.
Dealers who lease space at the mar
kets must fall in line with the Com
misioners' plans to give the consumer
a fair deal or go elsewhere to engage
in business. Combinations or other
features designed to boost prices will
be prohibited.
Supt Sherman this morning visited
the two Institutions and outlined to
dealers the plans Of the weights. meas
ures and markets department for as
sisting householders to buy at whole
sale prices.
District building will be thrown open
to all citizens who desire information
as to the best and cheapest method of
purchasing table supplies and the ordi-
mar: necessities of life.
Must Make No Distinction.
This campaign of education will be
conducted by the department for an
indefinite period. Mondays. Wednes-
days and Fridays, between the hours
of 10 am and noon, are the days on
which consumers will be received by
the weights, measures and markets Off
cial.
1t is expected that many citizens will
accept the departments proffer of as
sistance. Householders are advised to
organize in groups Of from three to
| ten families in order that supplies may
| be purchased at wholesale rates.
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