The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-11-29
EYE OF the Law
ON SUGAR DEALERS

Reports having frequently been
made to the office of the Federal Food
Administration for Ohio, Fred C. Crox
ton, administrator, of violations in the
handling of sugar, that official recently
appointed a committee for each coun-
ty in the state to investigate condi-
tions relating to sugar, the following
being named as the committee for Me-
dina county: Mayor Randall, chair
man; County Auditor Geo. McNeal,
secretary; w. H. Sipher of the Board
of Trade, Mrs. Addie Miller of the
Woman's Auxiliary Committee of the
State Council of Defense, and G. E.
jerks, chairman of the Food Pledge
Card Campaign Committee.
Abnormal profits, it is reported, as
well as evasions as to amounts sold
each customer, are being made by re-
tail dealers, and it was for the pur-
pose of bringing such violators to a
realization of the seriousness Of their
acts, and the severity with which they
can be dealt with in the event they
continue such violations, that the coun-
ty committees have been appointed.
The committee for Medina county
promptly organized and Secretary Nc;
Neal set about to ascertain, first. the
price at which sugar lis being retailed
by the diffefert gFocers df the coizpty
second, the amount being allowed each
customer; third, the names of the gro
GERS discovered to be either selling at
a greater profit than allowed, or selling
more than five pounds of sugar to any
one customer. Other objects of the
committee are to secure increased pro-
duction Of food, to prevent boarding
of food supplies, to prevent specula-
ton, to prevent the taking of abnormal
profits, and to assist in the regulation
of prices. ..
Mr.. Croxton pointed out that cane
sugar should not retail for more than
10 cents a pound, and beet sugar for
not more than cents a pound, ex-
planning that cane sugar should be sup
piled the wholesaler by the refner for
$8.H per cwt., the retailer securing it
for 9 cents and selling it to the con-
sumer for 10 cents. Beet sugar should
be supplied to the wholesaler at $7.25
per cwt., from the latter to the retail
er at 7.6, or IA below the price of cane
sugar, the consumer paying not to ex-
ceed 9 cents pound.
Auditor McNeal inquired of grocers
in Hinckley, Homer, Litchfeld, Abbey
vile, Weymouth, Lafayette, Lodi, NAL
let Creek, Wadsworth, Valley City,
Chatham, Brunswick, Seville, Sharon,
besides, of course, Medina village. In
most cases Mr.. McNeal found that deal
ers had been charging no more than
9 and 10 cents respectively for beet
and cane sugar. In two or three cas-
es. however, it was discovered that
101a and II cents had been asked, the
grocer excusing himself by the state
ment that the extra charge offset his
freight. In one case only merchant
had been charging 13 cents.
Consumers should report promptly
any violations, either in price or in
amounts sold to individual customers,
to Secretary Geo. McNeal or any other
member of the county committee.
In most places Mr.. McNeal found
that grocers were getting only enough
sugar to accommodate their regular
customers, while in other places mer-
chants had been unable to get any
sugar at all for periods ranging from
one week to four, and in one case for
five weeks. ...
That wholesale dealers are not ad-
herring strictly to orthodox dealing,
was discovered the past week. A local
merchant had been informed by we'll
known Cleveland wholesale house with
whom he dealt that they could not sup
ply him with any more granulated
sugar for a while. Simultaneously
the merchant ascertained that the
Cleveland house had sent large ship
ment to Berea merchants, also to a
very large user in Medina. The Me-
dina man called up the wholesale firm
and repeated his order for sugar and
was again informed that they were
out of the article. When reminded
Of the two big shipments mentioned
above, and without any further argu-
ment, the local merchant was informed
that supply Of sugar would be ship
ped to him at once.