Evening star., 1916-12-08
HIGH COST OF LIVING
By Sheldon S. Cline.
No. 9.
Transportation; the Middleman; the
Retailer.
By Sheldon S. Cline.

TEN OF transportation and distribution
of food supplies Is cumbersome and un-
scientific. 1t is like the house the young
frontiersman built for his bride. He
started with one room, intending to
add room each time a child was born.
The stork made its visits with yearly
regularity. and room was added to
room without form or plan. When the
fifteenth baby came the frontiersman
decided he had better tear down his
house and start all over again.
\ reorganization almost as radical is
heeueu Tor our system of food diStribu-
non The price the consumer pays is
% to 100 per cent, and in some cases
-"o per cent or more, higher than the
producer receives. Food is handled too
many many times and too many profits are
taken between producer and consumer.
x
Nor is this the worst of the system.
AT times, when unusual conditions give
ever so slight a coloring of justifica-
ton, the profits taken are exorbitant.
The federal government and state and
city governments start Investigations,
nut the amount of relief they bring
about is negligible. Under the law a
man has the right to ask any price he
pIeases for the goods he has to sell,
provided he doesn't conspire with 9TH
erS to advance the price. And legal
PROOF OF conspiracy is almost impos
SlbIe to procure.
transportation of all kinds, even
taxlcabs telegraph and telephone
service, and the distribution of gas and
eiectric current, are regarded as func-
hons of public utility and subjected to
"a ls,4 to-,
trlbution Of foodstufrs, the most i'm
portant of all, is left without any, or
very indifferent, supervision.
mere should be no intermediary be-
tween producer and consumer other
imam general receivers for each city
ana the retailers. The general receiv-
eFs, II not public institutions, at least
SHonIa be under strict official SUPER
VISOR. Warehouses and storage plants
OF ule general receivers should be part
~ idi!road and steamship terminal sys-
ems. so that the only cartage would
be direct to the retail store or the
pace OF consumption. The consumer
should have the privilege of buying, in
original packages, at the same price
the retailer paid. The price to the re-
taller and the consumer who bought in
original packages should be a matter
Tor oihcial determination. based on the
prlce paid the producer and the cost of
transportation plus reasonable profit
Tor the general receiver. If the duty
OF government to the people governed
requires regulation of transportation
charges, there is no logical reason why
the same regulation should not extend
70 distribution charges. IF the books
OF bank may be subjected to periodi-
cal examination by government officials,
why not the books of food distributor? i?
Food distribution certainly is as much a
public function as gas distribution, rail
road transportation or banking.
1t would be paternalism, of course.
and many VIII cry out against it. But
many cried out against the paternalism
of regulating railroad traffic charges
The railroads said the country was
headed straight for the boW-wowS. To-
day the railroads admit the regulate on
of charges is good for them, and they
have been fairly begging the govern
pay their employees There never was
time when the regulation Of railroad
profits was of such vital necessity to
the masses of the people as the regula-
tion of food profits is today.
1t ought not to he necessary to resu-
late the prices charged by thu pro-
ducer at one end or by the retailer at
the other end. Competition would
regulate the extremes if tn" govern
mcnt stepped in ana eliminated unnec-
essary profits and regulated necessary
profits between the extremes. Tie
gathering and publishing of daily mar
ket information SHOULD be IN official
function. The retailer would not be
apt to overcharGe his customers. if mis-
customers had means of knowing just
what he had paid for his goods. And If
he did attempt to overcharge. his GUS
toners would have the recourse Of join
ing together and buying in original
packages at just the price the retailer
paid.
Next-Waste in the Home and on the
Farm.