The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1915-01-08
Can THE NEGRO
FEED HIMSELF?
National Negro Bust
ness League Makes
Estimates

The Nezroev m America spend about
Sea-. ocl.ooo year for food. This e~ti-
mate makes due allowance for those who
are employed ~ domestic servants and
ret a portion Of their food without actual
cost.
II you take your pencil and begin %
figure over this enormous annual OUTLAW.
you rearh some very alarming conclu-
sions- In the first place. food products
offer the retsiler an average profit Of IS
per cent and % per cent Of s0no, ~. O,o
10 $lJo.oo.Ooo or the amount Of profit
made by the annual food expenditure Of
Negroes.
Supp,se We 10 further with our figures
and distribute tins So. Ooo,Oo for rent.
heat, light To retail establishments. We
will find that We can pay each proprietor
$3.50 per year, give him book keeper
Al 81, 600 per year, a clerk at 5000 per
month. delivery boy at $1,000 per
month, a horse and wagon and It'll have
a balance of 5o.ooo.0o for rent, heat
light. advertising, extension and other
incidentals. And here is employment
for LOO, 900 people.
But our figures must not stop here.
These N.Oo retailers must spend $3.50, =
OO,O year for foods and these goods
come from wholesalers, commission mer-
chants anil manufacturer. Granting
la PER cent profit To the producers and
Decessafy nnid,sienien. We have the hand =
some sum Of $i.JO0.Ooo each year which
could lie distributed among say a. fHcto-
'ies and aD wholesalars and commission
merchants. each earning an average year
~ profit in excess Of SaO,pOO. This
annual profit would h. devided among
Proprietors, managers. travelling sales
men, city statesmen, clerks and laboreru.
giving employment n about 5000 more
people. Thus We see that il the Negro
undertook 10 feed himself. we wouln have
fully 3O,ooo successful business enter
prises, would circulate among the race
So, 10000 each year in salaries and
wages and provide lucrative employment
Tor AT least lJO.OO cOlored people.
How tn convert this large amount of
cash into Negro business enterprises il a
serious and important problem. so let
US face the situation frankly and thought
fully. Obviously, the inst step To accom-
Plish this result should he To establish
confdedce and active cooperation be-
tween those who sell and those WHO buy.
that is. between the colOresl relaiIer of
fool products and the colorel housewife
This then il our task.
One way TO bring about this mutual
cooperation IL through colored women'f
cinls. Every town and city where any
number Of colored people live should
have Colored Womsn's Clud and q
branch Of the National Negro business
League and committees from these two
local organizations should meet at least
once a month and thoroughly discuss all
questions Of food prices and store service
The house wife could then make known
her needs and requirements and retailers
could arrange their stocks in such a way
~ 70 insure prompt. efficient service and
a quick turnover.
With an earnest and sincere desire u
promote the financial and commercial
development Of the achievements. the
officers Of the National Negro Bushes.
League are constantly devi-ing plans u
help local Negro communities toward.
group effort. This frank statement con-
corning the grocery business alone show.
what the race may accomplish through
commercial endeavOrs il thoughtful and
concerted action il employed. Loca
Business Ieagues already established, ar,
urged n take active STEP u study theii
lOcal problems with the idea Of brIngin,
the eOlored grocer and housewife ~
level Of mutual understanding
Ponder tbese facts and figures anc
then ACT