The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-26
HIGH PRICES DUE
TO BIC EXPORTS
Lack of Intelligent Buying
Also Responsible in Part,
Says Report
CONDITIONS IN NEW
YORK CITY SHOWN
One Family of Eight on Weekly Budget
Of SIS Found to Be Indulging in For
eign Cheese at 81 a Pound-People
Must Eat What They Can Afford to.

NEW YORK, Feb 26. Enormous
increase in the expectation of staple ar
ticles of food, without a corresponding
increase in production, ana lack of in
telligent economy in buying by house
wives, are ascribed by the department
Of health, as the chief reasons for
steadily rising prices The department
declared "there does not appear to be
any sudden or recently developed emef
gency in the food situation in this
city, although there has been serious
rioting.
While the report asserts there IS OBJ
viously less dependency and real need
than has been common for many years
past, il also SAYS it is apparent that
unless the present high prices OF food
are reduced or controlled, or as an al
| tentative the income OF families which
| now maintain themselves on $500
year or less is increased by raise of
wages or through relief agencies, there
| will be 4 constantly increasing number
Of people whose health will be jeopar-
/ died by their inability TO buy SUI
icicnt nourishing food at the present
prices.
No financial aid from the city could
Iamclioratc conditions. il was said, but
an extension OF the school lunch svs-
tenn and the teaching Of intelligent
buying will go far to remedy such
iafdships as now exists in families
which are living below a food standard
which will maintain health.
" The well-todo may contribute con
! siderably in the reduction of the high
price Of food, the report declared, by
altering habits Of carelessness and ex-
Itravagance in their homes.
1.-THE amount OF perishablc food held
in cold storage plants in this city is
uot unusual, the department of
health SAYS. The figures do not in
sicate that there is amy boarding of
food or holding of food for speculative
purposes in this city. Retailers are
making no more than reasonable
Iproft, it is said, and the difference
fbetwcon Wholesale and retail prices
is not unusual and represents the al
most inevitable cost Of distribution.
! The report continues: = close aualy-
sis ef the food bought ana used makes
II clear that the selection of food is
rather from habit and racial custom
than by discrimination or intelligent
choice and the purchaser does not take
advantage even OF such economies a,
are possible. As, for instance, a family
upon q so week budget is found t.
indulge in butter AZ Is cents pound
) when the same food value and better
quality can lie obtained from oleomar
garine at % to 80 cents q pound. 20
tatoes ut eight cents, onions at 10 ceat,
| q pound are eXtravagances, when they
may easily be replaced in food value
by cornmeal, rice and beans of smalle,
amounts and less cost. In one instanc,
q family of eight on ? budget Of SIS ;
4 week was found indulging in the lux
Try of imported Italian cheese at 81 ;
pound
The report urged, in conclusion sup
\ port of bills now before the state legis
! iature, which would permit the sale ant
I distribution. i'll New York city of skin
milk and remove the present re
1 strictions upon the sale of so-called Dol
! veal
l NO ore is going to starve, sal,
l Governor Whitman, land it is foolisI
10 assert that anyone has to- The pee
1 pie have simply got to eat what the
can afford to eat. So far as | have bee
1 able to see the situation is really
local one. While prices are unqucstion
1 ABLY high everywhere, | found no cor
l dition III Buffalo or Rochester last wee
resembling the one III New York >