The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-06-25

which meant that the bakers who sup
Piled him were making more than
they sold.
The Commercial Economy Board
at once undertook an investigation.
1t is one of the prettiest pieces OF
work that has recently been turned
out in Washington. The Board sent
its agents to a number Of leading
bakers and wrote to over four hum
dred others in all parts Of the country
in order to find out what their prac-
tice was. 1t was discovered that
largely for competitive reasons these
bakers kept the shelves of the bread
retailers stocked fully with fresh
bread. In doing this they did not ex-
pect the retailer to sell all the bread.
Their point was that the retailer
should always have enough OF their
bread on hand so that there would
be no complaint on his part that he
was not supplied. Any part OF the
bread that remained unsold, the bak-
| er took back when the next days sup
ply was delieverd. The retailer, know
ing that he would have more bread
than he could sell, never required his
customers to order ahead. His Gus
toners were trained, so far as bread
was concerned, to toll not neither to
spin, nothing to do but order at any
hour of the day.
1t requires little thinking to see
that this arrangement must mean,
waste at some point. AS matter of
fact the Commercial Economy Board
finds that 1t means a considerable
waste, one which at the present time
cannot be allowed to continue. AS
nearly as the Board can estimate
with the help of the bakers of the
country, who have been taking
hearty interest in the investigation,
it should be said to their credit, fully
four per cent of the bread delivered
to the retailers of this country is re-
turned to the bakers, the bakers
themselves going to the expense of
collecting it.
Now what is done with his four per
cent of returned loaves? Some OF 1t
is sold to the poor, who go direct to
the bakers for it. 1t is perfectly
clear. however, that if the bakers did
not over supply the retailers ana
were not obliged to bring back the
leftover loaves they could afford to
sell the bread on the ground at as
low a price as they do now. OF the
four per cent returned, probably one
and one-half per cent is fed to pigs,
chickens and other animals. Now
make little calculation. Suppose IN
YOUR town the bakers put out ten
| thousand loaves a day, a small town
requires as many, there was one nun
dred and fifty loaves fed to the PIGS
and chickens. Extend this calcula-
ton. There are bakers in our large
cities which turn out over half mil
lion loaves day. That means 7,5OO
for the pigs.
If needs no argument to those who
realize what the shortage OF wheat
means to convince them that TINS
leakage must be stopped. All that
thinking people ask is how can 1t be
done? The bakers themselves are pc
ginning to take steps. Inquiry among
the bakers show that probably on an
average at least eighty per cent are
in favor of stopping bread returns
that is they are in favor of selling 10
the bread dealer only what he be-
lieves he can dispose Of. This plan
has already been put into erect by
the bakers of Washington City and
| they say it is working satisfactorily
And here the women come In. They
are the bread buyers, and the no
return bread plan means that they
must make their calculations for the
DAVIS supply and do it in such a bust
nesslike fashion that they will not be
left in the afternoon without a loaf,
that if they are so left they will not
complain to their grocer, but that
they will accept the fact as proof
of their own lack of business fore
sight in ordering.
This really important saving can
only be affected If the woman OF the
country generally back it up. The
Women's Committee of the Council
of National Defense is today asking
! the Chairman of its State Divisions TO
spread throughout their organize
| tions a request that they will imme-
diately begin to order bread for TWEEN
ty-four hours instead Of for tempo
rary needs; that they regulate their
purchases from day to day as much
as possible, so the retailers may know
better how much to order; that they
explain carefully to their neighbors
who may not have been reached IN
any way the reason for all this, that
they make everybody feel that it is
one of their patriotic duties so to do.
Intelligent women must every
where back up the bakers and bread