The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-14
CHEAPER BREAD PROMISED.
WILSON TO ISSUE PROCLAMA-
TION REQUIRING BAKERS
TO SECURE LICENSE.
to Prescribe Size of
LOavcs and Ingrcdicnts-Spcciiic
Amount of Sugar To BE Allowed.
No Requirement us to Use OF Mix
cd Flour.

Washington, Nov. 11.-Dennite
steps to standardiZe bread and lower
it's price viii be taken tomorrow when
President Wilson issues a proclama-
ton placing all bakeries under gov
ernment license, December 10, and
subiecting them to food administra-
ton rules prescribing ingredients
and weights of lOaves. Prices will
not be fixed, but with the standardized
ton 1t is expected that natural COM
petition and simplifcatiOn of distri-
button will force down prices for
pound lOaves to or 8 cents.
Fancy breads will be eliminated
and the multitude of sizes now pro-
duced will be reduced to conform with
standard Ingredients The weights
will be one pound, one and a half, two
and four pounds. The loaves will
have a crease in the middle to per-
NIT their sale in halves In making
only three pounds Of sugar will be al
lowed for a barrel of flour. instead of
the present average of six pounds and
two pounds of vegetable oil shorten
ing must be used instead of six pounds
of lard or oil. The food administra-
ton expects to save 100,0OO,000
pounds of sugar and the same amount
of lard in this way. Bakers may use
only skinned milk for bread, and
rolls will be permitted only if made
in standard sizes and of regulation
bread dough.
Through the cooperation Of the
baking industry and also with the
backing of the licensed system, Food
Administrator Hoover hopes to work
reforms in the present method of dis
tribution from wholesale bakeries to
retailers and from retailers to GUS
toners. He will urge grOcers. for in
stance. to buy regular quantities Of
bread, limiting their purchase to a
single bakery instead of buying from
Tour orr as at present, and to make
lower charges to consumers who pay
cash and carry their goods home than
to those insisting on delivery and
credit. On the cash and carry basis
he says, bread can be sold at a profit
OF 1 cent a poend loaf. In addition
an effort will be made to persuade
wholesale bakeries to sell their pro-
duct direct to customers who will pay
cash and carry their purchases.
In licensing the baking industry
which produces about 40 per cent. of
the country's bread, Mr.. Hoover indi-
Gated no effort would be made to en-
courage use Of mixed flour. House
keepers, however, will probably not be
asked to use mixed flour.
The food administration estimates
that about 40 per cent. of the bread
production of the country is in COM
mercial bakeries, and GO per cent. in
homes. Milling standards now requir-
cent. of the wheat grain into flour
have been found more efficient, from
consideration of health and keeping
qualities, and probably will not be
changed.
THE requirement that all bread
shall be baked in multiples of one
pound" Mr. Hoover said in his state
ment announcing the forthcoming
proclamation. has several objectives
economy in labor Of baking and
economy in materials, as small breads
are more wasteful in baking than
larger units. The bread remains
fresh longer in larger loaves and
there will be less loss of stale bread.
Furthermore, standard weight
will protect the consumer. At the
present time the tendency is to adjust
the weight to the cost of the bread in
an endeavor to maintain "a unit OF
price. If the bread in the country is
of fixed weights the consumer will be
able to determine at onC,e the cheap
est bread, Of which he is now inca
pable because of the variability in
weight from six ounces UP to four
pounds"