The sun., 1916-09-19
ORDINANCE READY
FOR IS OUNCE LOAF
Hartigan's read Measure to
Come Before the Alder
men To-day.
LABEL Is COMPULSORY
Inspectors Have Evidence Of
915 Violations Of Present
Law on the Subject.
LABEL IS COMPULSORY

An ordinance providing that the
standard loaf Of bread to be sold In New
York city shall weigh sixteen ounces
and that every loaf shall bear on It's
wrapper a label setting forth tho exact
weight. whether Il be onc.half. three.
quarters. two. three. four. five or. six
times the size Of a standard loaf, will
Board OF Aldermen. II was drafted by
Joseph Hart!gan. COMMISSIONS OF the
Mayors Bureau of Weights and Meas
ures, and is the same measure that died
In thu Aldermen's Committee on General
Welfare during the official activities In
1915 TO lessen the cost Of living.
San Francisco. Chicago. st. Louis and
many German cities have a standard
loaf Of sixteen ounces. Mr.. IIartigan
says. and II works we'll. Bread is sold
by tho pound on tho East Side of New
York. and he believes all the people can
he educated to demand their bread by
weight instead of buying by loaf of
varying si1es.
Labels Now Truthful.
COMMISSIONS Hartigan's inspectors
reported yesterday that in all the i've
boroughs tho big bakers and distributing
companies are now selling a 1: ounce
o or bread under a IL ounce marked
wrapper or label for 8 cents. This
change. he said. occurred during twenty
four hours. lie believed that ncwspa-
per publicity of the action Of his bureau
In starting suits against bakers for sell
Ing loaves Weighing less than tho num-
Der OF ounces marked on the wrappers
or labels was responsible for the change.
Up TO last night the Commissioners
men had obtained evidence OF 9lJ al
legged violations involving more han one
! hundred inviduals. and he will proceed 10
collect the &iO0 penalty provided for ir
each case. Mr.. IIartlgan sent a letter &c
the Corporation Couns yesterday ask.
Ing him to assign counsel. II he ehould
be- successful in every complaint iiled the
city would DO richer by $4,000.
Federal Inquiry Urged.
~ Al. told Commissioner Hartigar
said. that $50 bakers have been forccC
out Of business in the city In the pas
thirty days. The abnormal condition "
the baking trade regarding the high cos
of materials, labor and overhead charge
goes without dispute. II Is true tia
!our before the outbreak OF the Euro
pean war was selling from - to $3.50 .
barrel and that the cost Of the . cen
loaf to the baker ranged from 2s to 81.
cents. depending upon the quality o.
materials. To-day bakers Hour is sell
ing from sS.c5 to ss.15 a barrel. witt
other breadmakirg materials proper
,ionatcly higher than IN 1914. II Is fol
the baking industry TO make these fact
known to the public"
The bread situation was DISGUISE,
yesterday at n meeting of tho ~eNecutiy,
committee az the National Housewife
League. Mrs. James IIaCan of Mobile
Ala. member of the Leagues nationa
bread committee. was present. u wa
decided TO call Il meeting of the natiora
bread committee at headquarters, ..
West Forty-nfth street. on Monday. whci
It will he decided whether the lcagu,
shall ask the Federal Trade Commission
To investigate the baking industry. !
request for such an inquiry was made h,
Representatives of the National Bakers
Association. In the meantime Mrs
Julian Heath. the national president
will cndcavor TO prosecute an inquiry Il.