The Washington times., 1916-11-14
Northeast Citizens Association
Appeals to Congress to
Standardize Sale.
RISE CALLED UNJUSTIFIABLE
Speaker Asserts War Is Used
Simply as a Pretext to
Charge More.

Declaring th-t District bakers are
charging an extortionate price Cor
bread, the Northeast Washington Cit
liens Association has addressed an APP
peal to Congress not only to stand
ardize the size of a loaf OF bread by
law In the District at sixteen ounces,
but to standardize IT, price for such
loaf att cents and to permit a de-
parture from that price and weight
only when 1t Is shown that the
bakers cannot make a fair living.
The action OF the association was
taken at meeting last night, when
w. 8. Branson reported a resolution
from the executive committee, based
upon an exhaustive investigation he
saws he made into 'he question OF
the rise in the price of bread and the
reduction of the size OF the loaf here.
Calls War Pretext.
"we believe" said Mr.. Branson.
that this double action has no justi-
ncation from either a moral or finan-
cial standpoint. but is stimulated by
the wave of extortion and greed that
10 sweeping over the land. the pretext
for which Is the European war.
1T is easily demonstrable there is
of the bak rs. A barrel of -four
weighs 1875 pounds net It is an
axiom anon bakers that better re-
suits can be obtdined in bread MAX
; ing from a mixed than from a
straight flour. Taking a barrel of
good nour costing $40 and a barrel of
ordinary flour, costing Sc, the average
cost per barrel is IS
From one-half to one-third OF a loaf
or fresh bread consists, by weight, OF
water, One barrel OF mixed flour.
, weighing 1856 pounds. or 3l36 ounces,
costs IS, or about one-fourth of 1 per
cent per ounce. With sixteen ounces of
fresh bakers bread, two-thirds of which
Is flour and one-thlrd water. or, in round
cost in~flour Ia "a cents. leaving him
~ cents for his other materials and
profit.
No Legal Standard.
"As the case now stands, there being
no legal standard for a loaf. the bakers
make the loaf anything they choose. the
common loaf averaging twelve ounces.
1.-THE day after the price was raised
one of the bakers raising 1t charged s
cents for loaf that only weighed nine
ounces. the cost Of the flour being about
" cents, which, after making due al
lowance for all other costs, would allow
loaf"
The association was asked by Mr..
Branson TO adopt a resolution calling
upon Congress to enact a law standard
izing the loaf at sixteen ounces, and
the price at cents. permitting n re-
ductlon in the weight of tho loaf when
II Is found that the bakers cannot make
a fair living by adhering to the standard
SO established" The resolution was
adopted unanimously.
President Evan II. Tucker, who began
his twenty-fourth term as presiding Of
ficer of the association, called the meet
ing to order
Urges Land Purchase.
The first business Of the evening WAS
the receipt OF a report from the exc
cutive committee. presented by DR.. Starr
Parsons. which urged upon Congress the
necessity Of purchasing the four city
blocks between the new Eastern High
School site and the Anacostia Park site.
DR.. Parsons called attention to the
fact that this land should be owned
by the Government because II would
undoubtedly be used eventually for
extension of the school grounds and
that IT could be acquired at con-
siderably. lower price than would be
charged for 1t when all the improve
ments were made in that section.
He said that the Eastern High
School has 1900 students now and
that when the new building is open
cd there will be a system Of vocation
al training started that will bring
in many other students.
The association adopted resolu-
tion requesting the Commissioners to
recommend the purchase OF the prop
erty.
President Tucker severely con-
demned the action of Congress in
adopting the Borland amendment and
the proposition to assess Dement'S
against mel ghboring property, own
ers. for park purchases. He charac-
terized both actions as outrageous.
Extensive Argument.
Chairman w. G.. Lang. of the COM
mittee on streets. avenues. and alleys,
made an extensive argument against
the Borland amendment He took is
sue with the published statement of
Engineer Commissioner Kutz that as
Ressment for street improvements
against abutting property owners was
the practice in other communities.
Chairman A. F. II. Holster of the
committee on water. lights and sewers
was congratulated by the association
for securing a drinking fountain for
Twelfth and II streets northeast.
Mr.. Branson made an extended state
ment on the present condition OF the
Boy Scout movement, charging that
bad management is bringing 1t into dis.
repute.
Prior to final adjournment Secretary
J. Clinton Hiatt, OF the Columbia
Heights Citizens Association. made a
brief address on the work his associa-
ment against the Borland amendment