Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-23
PLEDGE To GIVE AID
TOFOOD DIRECTOR
Retail Grocers Resolve to
Eliminate Sales on Com
bination Plan.

Elimination of combination sales and
cooperative effort with the food ad-
ministration to handle the food situa-
ton in the District are two pledges re-
solved upon by retail grocers Of Wash
ington- Following an address by Clar-
ence R. Wilson. federal food admins
traitor for the District, at a meeting in
Business High School last night. the
grocers arose and cheered as they re-
affirmed their intention of abiding by
the rules OF the food administration
and exercising rigid economy to help
win the war by food conservation.
Wants Game Played Straight.
play tho game straight" was the
plea of Administrator Wilson after
several grocers had reported instances
OF combination sales by dealers in
Washington. A combination sale is a
sale of some other commodity with
sugar upon the pretenss OF the dealer
that sugar cannot be sold otherwise.
authorized by the food administration
and that is the sale Of two pounds of
corn meal with every pound of sugar.
Future violators of the combination
orously, Mr. Wilson declared today.
The food administrator would not
say what action will be taken against
dealers against whom offenses have al
ready been reported.
Upon the patriotism of dealers must
the administration depend for success.
but If after this conference. when all
the plans and purposes Of the food ad-
ministration were explained. there are
violations Of tho combination sales or
der. prosecutions will follow, he de-
clared.
Unless you recognize the fact that
We are at war" declared Mr.. Wilson.
nothing can be accomplished. The
people of London and Paris know 1t be-
lions. The food administration was
not organised to ration the people.
That could be done by other agencies
Of the government It was organized
to help win the war in democratic
ures. II we are to win by democracy
we must have unreserved and whole
hearted cooperation or the plan will
be failure"
Gives Proof Of Combination Sale.
The speaker cited proof Of Illegal
S COZ ~ tic saies when he declared he
q pound Of coffee. sale made by a
Washington grocer. He added that his
proof Of the guilt of this one dealer
was conclusive, because he had him
chase.
That all classes of dealers have
grievances because they do not trust
one another was another statement of
Mr.. Wilson.
Don't allow petty Jealousy to get
the best of you" he advised the mer-
chants. ut is the women and children
behind the trenches over there who
need the food most. and we must make
every possible sacrifice to send 1t to
them. as well as to the warning armies
OF the allies"
The food administration is anxious
that food be sold at a fair profit, but
the war must not be used as a means
OF making unfair profits, according to
Mr. Wilson.
The present plan Of the District food
administrator Is to appoint an advisory
committee on food distribution This
committee. Mr.. Wilson said, should con-
stst Of one wholesale grocer, two or
three retail dealers and three or four
consumers. It's functions would be to
see TO 1t that foodstuffs are distributed
equally.
This committee will advise Mr.. Will
son of the amount Of foodstuffs in the
city, the methods Of distribution but
viii have no power to fix prices. The
food administrat ton has no price-fxing
powers, Mr.. Wilson reiterated.
Other Speakers Heard.
George E. Lichty. who spoke for the
national food administration, outlined
what Is expected Of Washington erocers
in cooperation to conserve the food
supply. and cited instances of the work
being performed by the grocers Of other
cities.
John II. Magruder said that there had
been an apparent rush to hl1v corn n, o @ !