The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-27
INDUCED GROCER ID IMPROVE METHODS Eyes Opened by Representa-
 tive of Housewives League MANY SHORTCOMINGS
Customers Should Not Be Allowed to Handle FOod-Cleanliness Is Demanded by the
 Housewives

What can I do for you, ma 'am?" The grocer came forward to where a middle aged, motherly looking woman stood looking quietly around the some- what untidy shop. says the New York Press.
 Nothing today" she answered prompt ly. T wanted to leave an order, for your shop is near my apartment, and it would be convenient for me to trade here, but don't like the way you keep it7'' The grocer gasped. Whats the mat ter with it?'' he asked gruffly | Your wife would tell you in a min- ute if you asked her. replied the cus- | toner with such friendly twinkle that | the grocer smiled in spite of himself as he retorted:
 She comes In every day and she likes | the way I keep it we'll enough" That's because 1t is a shop. She l never notices things because she thinks 1t is-none of her business. Most of your customers do the same thing, or, if they do notice, they keep quiet for fear you will tell them to mind their own af- fairs.'
 Most probably I would" muttered the grocer.
 "Oh, no. you wouldn't You want their trade and their good will. You would do anything they asked If enough of them asked 1t as if they meant what they said"
 Well, yes. I guess I'd have to if they did," said the grocer. But what should they ask for? What's wrong with the i shop?' Nothing is wrong with the shop" re- ] sponded the customer calmly. 'Tis your h0ngak a To fI,o mark. Look at those butter containers | The grocer looked at them. Then he hastily went over. shooed out few stray l files and drew down the covers. l 'T tell those boys to keep them down, 1 and we generally do.' he said apologeti- cally.
 :" Generally isn't always" said the cus- toner succinctly. "When they do forget 1t means dust and germs and flies on the butter, and no good nousekeeper will | stand for that"
 A man came in and went to the counter where a pile of loaves and rolls were | lying. He picked up a roll and examined | 1t, tossed 1t down on the i'ile and pinched two or three loaves of bread. "Pll take this one" he said. holding up a crusty loaf. The grocer: looking q little uncomfortable. wrapped 1t up and gave it to him.
 That's another thing that shows bad housekeeping" said the motherly woman quietly.
 Women Want Clean Food l T know, but we can't help it." answered | the grocer. ''They want 10 be sure the bread Is fresh. Women do 1t more than men and we don't dare say anything for fear they'll be offended | Why not keep the bread and rolls in l the cases? Or 1t would pe easy to put up glass screens in front of the counter | where you keep bread and cakes That would keep them from being handled or brushed against or coughed over.'' sug- | gested the woman.
 l Costs money for all those fancy fix- ings." objected the grocer.
 "Perhaps. but 1t will cost more in the end not to be up-to-date," said the par 1 ticular customer.
 Most folks don't care. so why should do it7" argued the grocer.
 That's just where you make a mis- take They used not to sec or care about ticed them year or so Sgo a hundred do now. They are learning to noticc and screwing up their courage to speak frankly about what they aee."
 'If everybody's going to find faul. we may as we'll go out of business. It's hard enough to make ends meet now" pro- tested the grocer.
 Value of Cleanliness
 Then why not make your shop the best in the neighborhoodY said tha woman shrewdly. "Let them find fault with the others if they like. and come here because there is nothing to find fault with. Ends would meet and lap If you once got that reputation among g the women in this part of the city. It's in the air. Everybody's doing 1t now. Look at the advertisements in the pa- perS Look at the street sar signs. Everyone of them empha sizes purity. cleanliness. sanitary conditions. The ''s rest men in the trade are the ones who take the most pains to establish just such a reputation. They know the signs of the times and keep up with them. It pays. or they wouldn't do it.''
 What do you think the place needs?"
 asked the grocer doubtfully.
 The Catechism
 ''Very little except the right kind of care" was tho cheery reply. "The place ta ~ra11 IfRhfaA ana van fflnfn6 Xoso