New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-02
CENT MORE ALOAF
sure, SAY BAKERS
Over 5000 Shops Wait Cue
from Wholesalers to
Advance Prices.
HESITATE IN FEAR
OF PUBLIC OPINION
High Wheat May Force Rolls OF
Lunchroom Free List-HOpe
Congress viii Act.

More than three thousand bakeries
throughout the city are only waiting
heir "cue" % advance the price o.
Tread from I'VE to SIX cents loaf.
The cut Il very likely 20 come IN the
rest few days from the wholesale
lkcrs, the large dealers. In fact,
there rs nothing that will stop It er-
cent a sudden drop m the stlll soaring
Price Of -four or some unlikely action
by Congress toward placing an en-
largo on wheat exports.
That was the substance Of state
ments yesterday by officials of the
,iaster Bakers Association and the
holcsale Bakers Association. The
small bakers are hesita..ng 20 raise
the price until the wholesalers take the
initiative. Though they believe pres
,nt conditions warrsat an immediate
raise. they will feel more secure in the
lace Of public opinion If the big fel-
lows do il first. None Of the small or
large dealers doubt that the higher
rrcc for bread and rolls is sure 10
come. The effect would be widespread.
Bread May Soon BE Extra"
Many restaurants which have MOI
l,cn charging extra" for bread and
butter may be forced to do so. The
custom OF having bread listed at
rice on the menu already has become
the practice in some Of the restau
rants and hotels since the European
war began. The smalle- hotels, which
90 not make their own bread, will
probably have to adopt this measure
generally.
The proprietor Of one Of the largest
hotels in the city said yesterday:
I'VE have never charged extra for
bread and rolls. and we don't expect
to have to come 20 It. We make all
our own bread, and the item Of -four
is daily becoming slzeable one toward
Increasing expenses, but We feel that
We will have to stand for ii rather than
to make our patrons pay more. NO
doubt. however, that many OF the
smaller hotels, which do not already
charge extra for bread and butter, viii
have TO take it from the free list II
the wholesale bakers raise the price.
Some Of the grocery and delicatessen
stores. which supply hundreds Of tsmi-
lies with bread, which they buy from
wholesalers or large bakeries, II was
said Yesterday, had already begun TO
raise the price. Some Of the grocery
firms which maintain string OF stores
and bake a large amount of their own
bread may not see At TO raise the price.
A representative OF James Butler,
Incorporated, which has siXty-tiye gro
Gerry stores in Manhattan and nearly
hundred in Brooklyn. said yesterday
that -four would have 20 go above So a
barrel before the firm would raise the
price Of bread, and even then it could
probably keep the hve-cent loaf owing
20 the very large quantities it uses.
The Butler firm bakes all its own
bread for the Brooklyn stores and buys
wholesale for the Manhattan stores, IT
was said.
Rolls Up on East Side.
William Steinmetz. president Of the
Master Bakers Association, whose
bakery is at Gil Eighth ,sv. said yes
terday that the small East Side dealers
were .lresdy asking more for their
ioaves and rolls. Where the poor people
could formerly get seven or eight rolls
tor a nickle they now get but six, he
said.
Hugo Fredericks, president OF the
Wholesale Bakers Association. said
that with wheat touching 81 90 for May
options on the Chicago market the
six-csnt loaf of bread would probably
be reality before the end OF this
week.
Tine only hope seems TO lie in Some
action by Congress" said Mr.. Fred
cricks. "ard Congress very plainly IN
tends 20 take no action. ] wrote 70
Secretary of Commerce Redheld and
several Representatives. They replied
frankly that they felt il would be i'm
possible 70 bring about an embargo on
wheat products because OF the inter
ests' that would be affected"
MIR. Fredericks had letter from
William c. Redfeld, Secretary of Com
merce. in which the Secretary said:
al am inclined TO think that Com
gress would hesitate TO consider favor
ably an embargo on wheat exports IN
Wow OF the various interests that would
be affected.
Tho president Of the wholesalers as
ISOLATION was of the opinion tnat "hen
tho pricc Of bread was raised It would
STAY raised for a long time. lie sara
if the European war stopped to-morro"
il would take two years before EUROPE
would get 70 producing again and the
wheat exports of this country fall back
10 normal levels.
n ~ 70 M A II