The Washington times., 1917-11-12
WAR BREAD
FOR CAPITAL
IS ORDERED
BY DIRECTOR

washington II SOON 10 nave
standard loaf OF war bread.
The President will issue q procla-
nation tomorrow putting all the ba-
ksrs Of the United States under IL
cense.
At the same time the food admins
tration will Issue license regulations
providing for the baking Of only
standard loGves Of bread. These
standard loaves can be baked In four
sizes, one-pound. one and one-hRh
pounds. two pounds. and four pounds.
The food administration says the
price for the one-pound loaf should
be or cents.
Washington bakers have as yet
taken no step toward a change in
size Of loayes, in price or ingre-
dents. They are waiting on formal
action by the Government.
On Market for Weeks.
Capital residents have been eating
the new "war" bread for several
weeks without knowing the differ
ence. II is not the war bread, known
IN Europs, however.
A series OF experiments with bread
ing. SKINNED milk or water, have
been made by Washington bakers at
the behest Of the food administration.
Patrons OF these bakeries which CO.
operated with the food administra-
Sion apparently did not notice the DIFF
ference. They made no complaint.
One Of the biggest bakeries in
Washington turned out this economy
bread for q good manv days, and
found the experiment thoroughly sue
csssfuI.
As a consequence the license regu-
1ations are to provide for a bread
that will allow u maximum OF three
pounds OF sugar to a barrel Of flour,
As against an average consumption
of six pounds.
A maximum "f two pounds of
shortening is to be imposed, as
against six pounds, and the use Of
vegetable oil substitutes for lard is
required. The milk used Is to be linn
ited to skinned milk.
II is estimated that a saving OF
100 .o0o. 900 pounds OF sugar a year
will be affected, and that lard saving
should total an equal amount
Ne stale Bread Returned.
Return OF stale bread by grocers
and others IL to be prohibited. This
will necessitate closer buying. and It
is estimated will save COO. 900 barrels
of flour q year
With all bakers baking the same
bread in the same size loaves. com
petition will be limited to price, and
the consumer will be protected. At
the present time the tendency is to
adjust the weight to the cost OF the
T. n maintain =
unit Of price.
Some thirty-eight different weights
are on the market throughout the
country. and the consumer has little
opportunity FOR comparison
In Washington nearly every baker
had a different sized loaf. With the
new standard loaf. the consumer will
be able to determine at once the
cheapest bread. something that he
has heretofore been unable to do.
The food administration has no
power TO hx prices. 1t believes,
however, that chain store groceries
having their own bakeries and no de-
livery and credit costs, can put the
one-pound Ioaves before the public at
7 cents. The other type OF groceries
doing business upon a credit and de-
livery basis must charge more.
May Cut Prices Further.
Generally, the Standardization OF
the bread should lay the foundations
for the elimination OF many wasteful
practices forced upon the bakers Ind
distributors by the luxurious demands
of the public for various. types CT
bread" says the administration.
It is urged by the food administra-
tion that grocers differentiate between
the cash and carry" customers and
the irregular patrons who want spe-
ciaI service and delivery.