Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-19
CORNER IS TURNED
IN HIGH PRICES
Most of Essential Commodities
Should Show Reductions,
Says Hoover.
MAKES FORMAL STATEMENT
Any Relief, However. Subject to
Cooperation of Farmer
and Retailers.
MAKES FORMAL STATEMENT

WASHINGTON, October Is.-It Is up
to the retailer II he does not deliver
the nations food to it's several doors
at reasonable price. means will be
found to mako him do so. This, sum-
med up, expresses the attitude tonight
of Herbert c. Hoover. food admins
traitor. in announcing that. subject to
cooperation of the farmer and the
retailer. "the corner has now been
turned in high prices"
Most of the essential commodities
should. one after another. continue to
show reduction between now and the
end Of the year" Mr.. Hoover said in
formal statement. The food admin
istration has no control OF either the
grower or his organizations. nor Of the
great majority of retailers.
THE distribution chain lying be-
tween-that is, the warehouse-whole-
salcrs. commission men and manufac-
turers OF prime commodities. has re-
quired a great deal of study and de-
velopment for its proper regulation.
and these regulations are now coming
into force"
Mr.. Hoover said he had every hope
Nlldi tllC ICtdiicIS Will cooperate, as
the farmers and other food handlers
are cooperating in an effort to feed
the nation and es,e allies At reasonable
prices. Everybody along the line down
to the retailer, he declared. already
is helping. But the retailer has yet
to toe the mark, because retail prices
do not. by any means. reflect the whole
sale prices. Mr.. Hoover asserted.
HOOVER DESCRIBES SOME
OF TRYING SITUATIONS
Mr.. Hoover informally described some
Of the trying situations through which
the food administration had waded in
its effort to see that all parts OF the
country are supplied with all kinds OF
foodstuffs. New York City. for in
stance. was on she verge OF a -four
famine a few weeks ago, having only
thirtysiS hours supply available when
emergency shipments were rushed to
The dealers. Four hundred thousand
barrels OF nour were reQuisitioned TO
meet the shortage.
Wheat and -four regulations are help
ing the situation. Mr.. Hoover said.
Asked when breac prices will be set,
he replied that the food administra-
ton is awaiting a finding on cost from
the Federal Trade Commission. In
answer to a query why bread and fiour
are cheaper in France and England
than they are in the United States.
he said both countries subsidize these
commodities, Moreover, he said, in
both countries IL is common to make
bread Of flour that is from 25 to 40
per cent meal or potatoes. II Ameri-
cans want cheap bread of this kind,
he added, they can have II.
1T is necessary, in order to secure
large production, TO maintain fair
and remunerative prices to the pro-
ducers." said Mr.. Hoover. in his forma al
statement. while their expenses have
increased during the past year, the
prices demanded for certain commodi-
ties are not warranted. The interme-
diate handling trades to the retailers
door are being placed under regula-
tion; they are cooperating we'll with
the food administration, and the spec
ulation and profiteerinE are now gen.
orally a thing of the past.
SITUATION IS ONE
OF EXTREME DIFFICULTY
The retail situation is one of ex-
treme difficulty. owing to the expen-
sive methods of handling, and the
lack of authority 10 rhe adminIstra-
tion to effect regulation. except Ito
those doing a very large business. Com
ferences have been held in Washing
ton during the past week with tho
representatives of the principal re-
tailers' associations in discussion OF
constructive methods Of reducing costs.
waste and exorbitant charges in trade.
The associations have undertaken to
use their every endeavor to ameliorate
prices. Trey need the cooperation OF
the consumers in reducing he number
Of deliveries. and their success in all
measures will rest largely upon the
support they receive from local au-
thorities."
To aid the public in dealing with
retailers who continue to extort war
profits, the food administration now is
collecting the Wholesale prices of all
staples in 700 cities. and soon will
begin publishing them weekly for com
parison with the retail figures