Evening star., 1914-08-17
WHOLESALE BUYING
URGED ON CITIZENS
District Government Plans to
Relieve High-Priced-Food
Sufferers.
COMMISSIONER newman.
FAVORS SHERMAN'S IDEA
Services Of Weights, Measures and
Markets Department Offered
to Aid Residents.

The District Of Columbia government
today came forward with a plan for thu
relief of high -priced-food sufferers.
1t proposes the organization of groups
of citizens for the purpose of buying com
modit!es in wholesale lots and offers thu
services of the weights, measures ant
markets department in getting the pla1
under way.
The plan, which was suggested by Johr
H. Sherman, superintendent of weights
measures and markets, received the ap
proval of Commissioner Newman this
morning.
Citizens who desire to take advantage
Of it are invited to call at Mr.. Sherman:
office, room 313 in the District building
on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays be-
tween the hours of 10 am. and noon.
Urges Wholesale Buying.
In a statement explaining the plar
Supt Sherman said:
''One OF the biggest immediate i'm
provements can be made by wholesale
buying. BY this 1 do not mean big un-
wieldly associations, but small groups
their STUFF together by the bushel in
stead of by the quarter-peck-by the
crate instead of the piece or three
for a quarter.
"a big consumers league in Wash
ington might Cor may do some good
but three or four buying clubs on each
block, each containing from three tc
ten families, will do SO much good; and
SO quickly. with so little of waste ef-
fort or lost time, that every housekeep-
r1~ oil o.. net
about among her friends and neighbors
to find at least two or three to join
in with her.
"The Department of weights. measures
and markets will help. Get together your
little group. and send your group repre-
ing, between 10 and IL am. Mondays
Wednesdays or Fridays, and We will
show you how to organize your groul
and what kinds of products can advan.
tageously be bought this way at this sea
son. and how tobuy them.
Two Dangers to Avoid.
"One word Of warning now, in advance
is essential There are but two dangers
connected with this method Of buying
One is the tendency for the person de-
tailed to make the purchase. to buy the
stuff from his own pocket, and trust
the other members to pay when conven-
lent. This Is always disastrous. The
other is the tendency Of individuals with
| in the group to desireto change their or.
ders after they are placed.
IF you permit either of these abuses
to creep into your group, your efforts to-
extent frustrated. If you refrain from
these two practices, you should save
from 20 to 90 per cent on all the ar
ticles purchased by these methods.
"First-Organize your group; then
come to us; then buy the goods after
we have shown you how.
1T would be amusing, were 1t not SC
pitiful. to see the people Of the District
blindly following such food price quota
tions as are running in the retail mar
ket columns of the local papers. 1t Is
pity the District government has nc
appropriations available for the adver-
tisement of the full truth on these mat
ters, and the education of the public on
how to buy and where to buy.
Retail Fish Prices High.
"Fish see quoted at uniformly 1s ant
% cents per pound. with the further
statement that baking fish are at ever
higher prices. If you offered % cents
per pound to a dealer in our municipa
fish market, at the foot of 11th street, HI
probably would need stimulants to sur
vive the shock. And he is selling freshel
fish, just from the water.
Last Saturday in Mount Pleasant my
landlady bought her cantaloupes conve
niently at three for 25 cents. and told rns
what a good bargain she got That sam,
day cantalouples Of better quality ant
larger size just Off the boat at the mu
nicipal fish wharf and market sold at A
cents per crate Of thirty-six melons.
1.-THE same comparisons could be mad,
farmers markets fresher goods can be
paid at the door.
Warrington people need to learn Jus
four solid basic principles to improv,
their living at lower cost: These are:
Il. Buy only those products that are II
their natural season.
around from market to market and from
stand to stand.
g. Wherever possible, buy directl.
from the man who actually raised thu
goods. ,.
sibleAif possible, in the farmers whole
sale stands.
STUFF Out Of Season Costly.
"stun out of season costs high. II
Il has been estimated that the same care
and expense required to raise single
dish of fresh peas for Christmas would
supply an average family with bread
for six months.
Qualities and prices vary within any
large market. and from market tc
market. Particularly on the farmers
street lines. one will find patience In
shopping amply rewarded.
Prom the man who produced thu
goods you can get fresher article. not
deprecated by much transportation
cost not raised by intermediate step.
in distribution, or middlemen's wastes
(Which are apt to be large). or middle
mans profits (Which are usually
smalD."