The Washington times., 1917-09-28
We Are Promised Only PROM
ised-FOurteen Ounces of
Bread for 5 Cents. England
Gets NOW Sixteen Ounces of
Bread for Four and a Half
Cents. -
Is Possible We Ask in Good Faith Bring Those Prices
Nearer Together?

It has been mentioned occasionally here in this news
paper that vigorous effort should be made to give the
United States which produces wheat and -four bread as
cheap the bread in England which gets its wheat from
and carries it across the ocean.
gentleman officially connected writes in supercihous
asking Upon what do you base your statement that
bread sells In England for four and quarter cents pound?
We base it upon FACTS We base it also upon cable
Just received from England by the Department of Commerce
Under Mr. Wilson's Administration all information pos
b Is secured and given to the American people promptly
At request and at our expense the Department OF
Commerce good enough cable abroad to the agent Of
the United States Government and received by cabehe
cable being sent us-nomaion that the pound loaf
In England sells for nine pence-egheen cents for four
pounds four and half cents for pound Of sixteen ounces
Americans must not however, imagine that it should
necessarily be possible for private enterprise for the
Government ITSELF to sell bread in the United States
cheaply as it can be sold in England
At first glance it seems unbelievable that American
wheat made into American -four carried 5000 miles
the ocean with terfcay high freight rates in the face of
submarine attacks should be sold in London bread for
less than half the price of bread in New York.
But it must be remembered that labor in the United
States costs double much as labor in England.
It be remembered that manufacturing here is
pensve that profits here all along the ne from the profit
Of the miller the rent of the who the baker
shop much bigger than in England
There may be excellent why American wheat
United States should make bread costing less than
a pound in England
At the same time, the facts are disconcerting They
worthy the attention of the President himself With all
the load Of the war; the trouble of this nation and other
ons resting his shoulders he cannot be expected attend
to every detail.
But bread is to human beings what hay and
horses Bread the foundation of e of hard efficient
work Nothing could have better effect in this country
than to announce for instance that by Government control
and injustice to labor reasonable
profit bread would be sold at cents pound or least
cents pound Be that the President will bring
this to pass if he can, and that HE can any can
The great French Republic has realized for years
taught by the grain gamblers Of long agohat the people
to be conented need fixed price for bread Long before
the France regulated the price of bread throughout the
entire nation
With bread and water people CAN live With cheap
bread they cannot complain that the of life beyond
them would pay the Government to make good any loss
to individuals that could be done-that is to say any
legitimate loss-and arrange for wholesome wellbaked
bread of good -four and fair weight to be sold the people
q low price.
It certainly would be worth while to find out how the
English do it, exactly how much of the difference due to the
higher cost of wages here and all other facts important