The Washington times., 1915-03-07
BREAD GOES BACK
TO sc IN NEW YORK
Attempt to Raise Price Fails
Fina||y-Sma|| Bakers to
Follow Big Concerns.

NEW YORK. March THE Ward
Baking Company. acting independently
assd apparently without the knowledge of
any Of the other large baking indus
tries. announced last night that the
price Of bread would be put back to s
cents loaf tomorrow.
John J. Dillon, commissioner of the
State department of foods and markets,
said this announcement meant that the
attempt to force 6-cent bread on New
York had failed. 1t Is expected that
all OF the concerns which advanced the
price when wheat was soaring skyward
Will fall In line and go back to scent
bread AZ quickly as possible.
The sudden reduction by the Wards
came as great surprise to Hugo Fred
ericks. president of the Wholesale Bak-'
This Is news to me-" he said. Il had
not given the matter a thought. but I
suppose II the big fellows go back to g.
cent &c so'1pe '61pead the smaller bakers viii have
been decline In the price Of wheat.
but we won't be able to buy this cheaper
ho1r for couple Of months. at the
earliest"
"Sorry to Hear It,"
II am sorry to hear it," said Will
Nliam Steinmetz. president of the Master
Bakers Association. when he was told
Of the contemplated reduction by the
Wards. "All Of the members Of our
aasociation were retailers. We found
It was possible to make scent bread at
a profit. even with the increased price
of wheat, and since the big industries
advanced the price our business has in
sorry to hear they are going back to
the scent bread. But we'll hold some
Of this new trade. anyhow" =.
r. B. Ward. head Of the Ward COM
lied feet in the attack on the Darda-
nelles were responsible for the return
to former prices. Wheat has fallen of
20 cents a bushel, he said. in anticipa-
which would release the huge Russian
supply.
Up Four Cents In Day.
This means a decline of about a dol
lar barrel in the price of four" he ex-
planned. land permits us to return to
our old prices. I noticed. however. that
wheat went rp 4 cents a bushel during
the day"
This explanation was characterized as
''all nonsense" hv Commissioner Dillon.
The return to scent bread Is just
What expected" he, he said ,S 1T was as.
ing interests. The decline in wheat may
have had something to do with it. but
not enough to warrant any change in
the price Of a loaf Of bread.
The large bakers were driven to
this course. The advance in price Sc
nously curtailed their business and
much Of the bread they sent out was
returned stale. The small bakers who
stuck to scent bread were taking away
all their business.
Credit to Newspapers.
'"The attempt to advance the price Of
bread has been a failure. The news
papers rendered valuable aid by help
ing to focus public attention on this
matter"
Ward in discussing the situation said
the price OF bread was not advanced
until 1t became a necessity.
I'VE ought to be able to get the cost
Of the raw material out of our product
at least" he said Amy manufacturer
ought to be able to do that much. II
they can't break even they can't stay
in the running long"
Newark took the lead in the reduc-
tion, the baking interests there having
returned to scent bread yesterday.