Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-26

WASN'T NGTON, December "a
enthusiastically speaking. the high price
of food has performed one great SER
vico to tho consumer. it has set his
American ingenuity to work invcnting
means to combat IL. During tho past
year ho has dabblcd and experiments
with many things. including scientific
cooking and prohibitions: sugarlcss and
meatlesS days: cooperation and culo-
ries; indigestion. and the delivery of
his own groceries. All Of which have
taught him Il thing or two.
The American consumer knows more
about food to-day than lie ever did
before. 1ie knows, for example, that
although he belongs TO the flesh eating
order OF Carnvora-Gcorgc Bernard
Shaw to the contrary, notwithstanding
he will survive mcatlcss day.
PHYSICIANS. indeed. no longer afraid
OF being blacklistcd by the corner
grocer. have come right out with the
brutal statement that Americans cat
too much meat. The consumer also
knows that death does not follow n
sugar famine. lie can eat olconar-
garinc in tho place OF butter If the lat
ter costs too much; he can skimp on
sweet potatoes in IL pinch, and lie can
cultivate taste for lcftovcrs. But
it can't be said that he enjoys doing it.
Studies Market Game.
been trying another method. He has
been studying the marketing game.
The question with him as yet is not
how many OF his faroritc dishes he can
do without. but by what strategic ma
ncuvers can he buy them at a lower
cost? One method rcsortcd to by con-
sumcrs In all sections of tho country
during the past year Is cooperative
buying, which eliminates tho retailers
n In
State. for instance, six women have
formed cooperative club for the pur-
pose OF buying wholesale groceries.
ono woman buys n barrel OF -four and
divides 1t among the other members
OF the club. Tho next woman buys
twelve dozen GEES from farmer at a
minimum cost and distributes those
among the other women. The third
woman buys a case OF soup: the fourth
woman barrel Of sugar; the fifth
woman barrel OF apples. and the
sixth woman six hams direct from q
pork products house.
The sixth woman, OF course. does not
always buy hams. Sometimes her pur-
chase is canned goods or grapefruit
or oranges. The fifth woman also buys
variety of products voted for by the
other club members, and SO does the
fourth woman. since the six families
do not use barrel of sugar month
Every two weeks this club holds a
business meeting. Each woman brings
with her small bank. Tho members
discuss the supplies they will need for
the next two weeks, consulting two
catalogues from mail order firms and
the price lists from various wholesale
dealers. They compare these with the
prevailing retail prices. Ono woman
suggests for instance, that one house
is oncrinE a special reduction on
thirty pounds OF butter that will save
each member a dollar on tho retail
price. a vote is taken; all the women
arc in favor OF buying the butter. and
each puts her share OF tho expenses in
the frs: woInan'a bank. The next sug-
Sestion may deal with a great oppor-
tunity in canned peaches, or turnips.
or stuffed olives. Again vote is
taken. the individual contributions
placed in one woman's bank. and so on
until every woman has some purchase
TO make. The -four. the eggs and the
soup arc bought regularly every month
Supplies Arc Divided.
When the supplies arrive they arc
delivered at the houses OF the women
who bought them. and the other mem
bers como and get their shares That