New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-17
DELAYED Food Controls Results

Delayed ROOD Sohtioi Neo''
The Dairymen's League, which few
months ago forced an increase in prices
ty Withholding milk from this city until
the distributors met its terms, has decided
that there must be another raise. This,
the distributors say, will be passed along
to the consumerst and there is no doubt,
in the light of past experience, that 1t Will
he. The only reason given by the farmers,
other than the general one of Increased
expenses" is that people are cutting down
on the use of milk and eliminating cream
entirely. Naturally this lesSening OF con-
sumption tends to lessen their income, and
apparently they intend to MAINTAIN their
total of profits in the face of decreasing
demand by jacking up prices. Thus, as IN
many other instances, the time-honored
law of supply and demand, which ought to
bring lower prices to meet lowered con-
sumption, is to be set aside.
With this reported lessening Of milk
consumption, which ought to leave more
milk available for other uses, such as
the making of butter and cheese, there
has come no reduction in the prices OF
these articles. Cheese cost to the con-
sumers mounts steadily, until it is about
as EXPENSIVE to purchase this much-urged
substitute for meat as TO buy the better
cuts of meat. Butter is ten cents pound
wholesale dearer than il was a year ago,
and there is gossip among produce deal
ers of a Corner" which is to send 1t up
TO seventv-fve cents a pound at retail.
The only argument against this course
seems to be the fear of some dealers that
thew might be pnched because the pub
lie, finding itself unable to pay such a
rrice. would turn to the use Of butter
substitutes, as some portion Of 1t has
already had to do.
Meantime, though there is a state food
control law on the statute books under
which some relief might be obtained for
the consumers, that law is imperative be-
cause the confirmation of food control
commission has been held up by Senator
Brown and his followers. The consumers
have no redress, no official agency to
which to turn for relief. The legislative
investigating committee and Markets
Commissioner Dillon, despite lot Of talk,
accomplished nothing when the dairy
farmers raised their rates the last time.
If their increased compensation was jus
tifiable, but the added charge by the milk
distributors was not, as was said then,
there was lacking either the will or the
power. or both. to aid the consumers.
They have had to cut down their use Of
milk. Now even that, q genuine hardship
il. many cases, seems about to be turned
against them.
What is happening as 10 milk and but
ter and cheese is happening as to many
other foods. Producers naturally are en-
deavoring to get all they can for their
stuff. Middlemen and spectators, hav-
ing no legal check on them, are at liberty
to buy up and hoard, or to buy and de-
stroy, fruits and vegetables. The pre-
diction is freely made that eggs will sell
at 81 q dozen this winter because of
boarding and storage now. All the tricks
cf the trade are being worked to get big
profits from what comes into the markets
now and to get even bigger ones from
what is released for sale later, when the
years yield is done.
How much of all this food control
commission could check or prevent nobody
knows. Manifestly in such body lies
the consumers only hope, for no other
agency can do anything. Little help can
be expected from the Federal controller
this problem, as Mr.. Hoover has pointed
cut is the states. And the state at
present is helpless-rendered helpless by
Senator Brown primarily. What debt
of gratitude the food sharks owe him!