The Washington times., 1914-09-17
EUR0PE'S MARKETS
AS MODELS FOR n. Y.
New York Expert Tells OF
Housewives Buying From
Farmers in Germany.

NEW YORK. Sept. lis. Walter
Naufmann, of 80 Wall Street, member
or Borough President Marks open
Market Commission. has just reported
IN his observation in Europe, where
he went to study the markets OF Ger
many His work ended with his arrest
as German spy in Holland. His Of
fetal credentials as \ member of the
market committee we're sufficient cvi-
dence of his citizenship to gain his
release. Mr. kaUfmann is an advocate
Of the open market place system, just
put in operation ny Mr.. Marks.
"The examination | made Of market
conditions in Germany leads he said.
to the conclusion that the markets
established by tho borough president
should he successful. The should he
the basis for more permanent institu-
tions. 7 have come to these conclusions
because of what I saw in Germany.
For many years a large percentage
Of the German population in the larger
as well as the smaller cities has pur-
chased its food in the open street mar
kets. In the city squares I found men
and women who had come in from the
country. surrounded by their products
and staying there from early morning
until their wares were disposed of. To
these squares the householders came
With market baskets. The housewife
has the advantage of selecting her pur-
chases from large and "aried stock
and Of being sure that wha: she has
selected will reach her kitcnen IN good
condition She is also sure that what
she has purchased is fresh from the
field or orchard.
NO matter how large or how success
rul the large market halls may be in
these cities. the selling by the producer
direct to the consumer goes on. In
various European cities ii has been at
tempted to concentrate such retail sell
ing in market halls built on the plan of
the wholesale market halls. but these
retail halls have been unsuccessful, and
are being abandoned. This may be
due. in part, to the fact that the house
holder does not feel the same assur-
ance of E>tting fresh food in the halls
that she does in the produce market.
she will not go to the retail hall for her
dry and staple groceries. She prefers
the corner grocery. OF course there
i'm these ventures. but I have not en-
larsed upon them in my report.
The street market place accom-
rIishts the valuable purpose of en-
duction They are assured of a con-
-tant market for their output without
I,einE Obliged to depend upon the whole
saler This encouragement and the ac-
Ceptarce by the public of these markets
I'LL Law the foundation. | believe, for
permanent New York city markets.
" believe that this will cause drop
in the prices of food. and this has been
demonstrated by the experience of
Furope. The fact that the consumer is
o1+lH writ fn mr. N HI
out the intervention of the middleman,
that opportunity is offered for the dis
posal of the surplus of product that
heretofore has largely gone 10 waste,
must result in cheapening the cost to
the householder.
The farmer is going TO these mar
kets. as he is abroad, only because
either he has not been treated right by
the wholesaler or the wholesaler has
been unable to take his entire supply,
and he must disrose of the surplus The
wholesaler - going to the markets to
6fspose of the residuum which. other
uise would have gone to the refuse
hesp. The house holder is going TO the
markets because OF the freshness of the
goods and the reasonableness of the
prices.
I'm all Of the European open markets
there is a charge made for selling space.
This is. roughly. 2lH cents to ; cents A
SQUARE yard for each session. of which
there are usually two a day. Some mar
kets are held only three times n week.
The omen markets in Europe have not
heen detrimental n the interests of the
corner grocer OF retailer II the New
York public learns to appreciate the
great benefits which will come to il rv
rcason Of these markets and if the
housewife develops the market basket
heb1 a gr>at step forward will have
been taken for the permanent good IF
the population"