South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-26
PRESENTS REPORT
ON FOOD PRICES
Investigation in District of
Columbia is Completed.
MiddIeman Blamed.

" AsoAii.NAr IN Apfll 20. -- ne
first federal Investigation Of the
high cost Of living" was completed
today when the food committee Of
the District Of Columbia made its
report 10 the district commissioners
The investigation started as a
strictly local affair. but the causes
OF the District OF CoIumbia's prob
lem were found 10 be 80 ramihed
that the probe was extended TO the
entire nation Many Of the conclu-
sions are applicable 10 almost any
city in the country
The Investigators were George NJ
Roberts, superintendent of weights,
measures and markets: G. r. Nesbit.
superintendent Of insurance, and
William c. Woodward health officer.
The cost Of living is high. they
said. primarily because OF faulty
marketing machinery. There were
other causes. too. but these were
comparatively unimportant. The
committee recommended a munich
pal wholesale market.
AAHttu 1T nAlulcllllI.
This recommendation was aimed
at the middleman. The food COM
mittee found him responsible for
much Of the rise in prices. The es-
adjustment Of a municipal market
would also tend to attract food pro-
ducts from new sources of supply.
Farmers living remote from the
city would be induced 70 send their
produce" the committee says, be
cause OF the assurance that they
would be handled by responsible
government officials and sold at the
prevailing market prices.
mo attempt should be made to
establish such a market as a mono
poly. but simply as an agency. be-
cause Of its very character. tending
% encourage the shipment Of food
stuffs 20 this city The reduction of
food prices is henceforth TO be pri-
marily a city problem. The addi-
ions TO the price paid the farmer
'or food products after they reach
he city and before they reach the
consumer are not the affair of the
farmer. They are something ne
should not be expected 10 remedy
The city itself must see 10 the cart
lge. storage and distribution Of its
'ood."
Find Prices Were High.
When the committee started work
hey found prices were so high that
The poor were being forced TO live
almost exclusively upon hog livers.
hog kidneys, neck bones and hog
faces.
That increased frugaiity is every
where being adopted is demon
strated. the committee says. by the
very considerable falling off in the
amount Of garbage collected in this
city during recent months.
Part Of the increased cost OF food
the committee found justified under
present conditions, but unnecessary
under comprehensive marketing
plans. That some measure OF the
increase was inflated value" the
committee holds is demonstrated by
the following table OF prices pre-
sailing before the committee was
appointed:
Potatoes. per barrel IS
onions per hundred pounds, s14.
Eggs, per dozen. As cents.
Three DAYS after the committee
had started work prices had drop
ped as follows:
Potatoes. per barrel, $3.50.
Onions. per hundred pounds, Sill.
Eggs. per dozen. 30 cents.
Blame Transportation.
transportation is found TO be one
Of the real causes Of mounting food
prices. BY a comprehensive table
the committee shows that food pro-
ducts loaded in indianapolis. New
York city and Battle Greek did not
reach Washington for more than
month This tended TO keep prices
high
Speculation in food is held 10 he
among the contributing causes Of
the high cost of living Another
cause IS the apartment house sys-
tenn OF living Apartment house
jewellers. unable 20 store food in any
quantities buy in very small lots
practically depending on the corner
grocery as their pantry. Frequent
deliveries are demanded-and paid
for by the consumer.
While the farmer is held least re-
sponsihle for the increased cost OF
his products. il is pointed out that
the cost OF producing foodstuffs has
greatly increased during recent
years. This is due 20 the increased
value OF farm lands. the cost OF ma
chinery. OF fertilizers and OF labor.
The conclusions Of the food COM
mittee. after months of investiga-
ton. as set forth in the committee
report. are that. After all the
causes which may reasonably tend
20 increase prices are considered
there appears no just ground for
such high prices OF many products
as are demanded Of the consumer ar
this time"
O