The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-27

1 per unit of quantity or by decreased quality at the standard price. In spite
 of the denials we hear so frequently 1 1t would seem that the consumer must l bear large part of the cost of ad vertising these package foods. The writer once heard prominent food manufacturer admit on the witness stand that he spent one million dollars annually in advertising his two brands of breakfast foods and his coffee sub-
 stitute. Certainly this large expendi- ture must have been reflected in the price the consumer paid for these prep arations. This item of cost Is, In the writer's judgment, the chief serious in . dictment against this modern method of purchasing food. The force of this
 indictment, however. varies with the
 kind of food and the purpose of it's
 purchase.
 Package foods may In general be
 grouped into three classes. First, those
 obtainable in no other way, such as
 canned vegetables. certain canned
 meats and fish, certain relishes, con-
 densed milk, wines and liquors. The
 growth of the canned vegetable fn-
 dustry is of the greatest economic im-
 portance to the nation, enabling as
 it does the manufacturer in time of
 plenty to store up for future use mill lions of cans of healthful, nutritious
 and appetizing food. Moreover, many
 of the foods of this class are amaz-
 ingly cheap. but even here the uni versal rule applies. namely, the larger the container the cheaper the food
 The second class includes those foods which might and in many cases should. be prepared at home, such as canned fruits, ketchups, jams, jellies, preserves. pickles. soups, mince meat and baking powder. The housewife is delegatfng more and more to the man fp, ,Ax&.. l. R..~ of food. It may be that club life, church work, philanthropic activities, even bridge may offer the modern woman wider fields of usefulness than the home preparation of food. It may be that the art of cooking is a lost art in the average home, and that in the rush and hurly- -burly of modern life the average woman has not the opportunity, facilities, or perhaps the ability, to prepare or superintend the preparation of food at home. Whatever may be the reason for this constantly decreasing production of food in the home, the fact remains that 1t Is one of the vital factors in the increasing high cost of living.
 The third group includes those foods which one might better purchase loose" such as certain breakfast foods, crackers, molasses, vinegar and dried fruits The writer freely admits that where quality alone is to be con- sidered the purchase of even the foods of this group in package form Is not to be condemned, but the consumer Of limited income has no more economic right to buy crackers, for instance, in small packages than he has to buy champagne. caviar, pate de foie gras, or hundred other similar luxuries On the other hand there are cases where the daintiness and attractiveness of the food are of prime importance In the sick room. where frequently the appetite must be coaxed. these qualities are essential and this is especially true with pay hospital patients, where the most rigid enooomy Is not required. But even here 1t Is a question wheth- CT more emphasis should not be placed on the culinary skill of the cook, and whether less should not be left to the taste and imagination of the food man. ufacturer.