Evening journal., 1915-08-03
FIGHT PLANNED
ON PRODUCE MEN
Division of Markets to In
dorSe Plans of Cooperative
Buying Association
COMMISSION HOUSES
RESTRICT FOOD SUPPLY

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Aug. g.
Cooperative buying agencies, hav-
ing official Endorsement by the city.
are proposed by the Bureau of City
Property as means of solving the
high cost Of food problem. The
scheme is being developed by Charles
w. Baldwin, of the Division of Mar
kets, and will be launched in West
Philadelphia early in September. He
believes IL possible under the plan
for housewives to save 20 per cent
While tons of vegetables and fruit
are rotting in fields within 80 miles
of Philadelphia and farmers com
plain that Il does hot pay them TO
ship produce to city markets, the
price to consumers has remained the
same. The public has enjoyed no
benefits from an unprecedented glut,
but remains at the mercy of the COM
mission men.
The solution OF the problem. ac-
cording to Mr.. Baldwin, is absolute
elimination of the wholesale commits
sion houses and development of an
educational campaign to bring to-
gether the producer and the con-
sumer.
Investigation Of conditions, which
I believe are without a parallel" Mr.
Baldwin said, Shows that the COM
mission men are responsible They
have manipulated the market adrOit-
ly. managing to uphold a consistent
high price on all commodities, when
actually the public now should be
paying less for vegetables and fruit
than ever before"
Reports from New Jersey, Della
ware. Maryland and Pennsylvania re-
veal that crops have never been so
abundant, and farmers have never
been so poorly recompensed for their
labor. Hundreds of acres Of peas
have been plowed under for fertilizer,
growers preferring TO sacrifice the
crops rather than to pick and ship
them TO markets and receive a low
price from the commission houses.
Tomatoes and potatoes. two major
crops that brought handsome returns
last year, are a drug on the market
this summer and buyers will not pay
enough to cover picking and trans
portation charges According to per-
sons in touch with the produce mar
kets. the commission dealers refrain
from buying quantities in excess of the
demand, fixing prices on what is
carted to their stores and enabling
retailers and hucksters to maintain
even charges.
Mr. Baldwin declared that the city
seriously was studying the situation
and that the unfair advantage taken
Of the consumer by the dealers when
vegetables and fruit were so plenti-
full has hastened his efforts. to organ
ize "The Cooperative Housewives
Association of West Philadelphia"
Farmers Promise Aid.
eve are assured of the support oi
several dozen farmers in the most fer
tile farming areas of Pennsylvania
New Jersey and Delaware" he contin-
ued. I'VE have received a letter from
one Virginia farmer who said he was
anxious to quit his dealings with com
mission merchants and sell his pro
ducts to a cooperative agency.
at is not possible to begin opera
tions until next month. II would not
do to start without having first thor
Oughly investigated the field. We now
are interesting housewives. In order
to be assured of their support, the as
sociation will demand a fee of So foI
a membership. These certificates are
transferable and may be used by fam
lilies jointly.
I'VE propose to make deliveries by
autotruck. BY having two terminals
our overhead costs will be reduced
Economical experts have informed us
that we can save the housewives al
least so per cent. on purchases"
Two other escapes from the exorbi
tant charges of retailers are provided
through the medium of the parce
post and the industrial department o
the Adams Express Company. Orders
are placed direct by postoffice and ex.
press officials for consumers.