Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-03
ASKS LAWS TO STOP ExPLolTA.
TON RESULTING IN INCREASED
FOOD cosrs.
PRACTICES OF DEALERS
SEVERELY CONDEMNED
Jury Finds Gamers, Wholesalers,
Brokers and Jobbers Have Associa-
tons - Which Meet and Regulate
Prices to consumer-Dealers in Can
ned Goods Especial Offenders.


grand jury in report returned yes
terday before Judge Lands revealed
what are termed practices which in
dictate the necessity OF legislation which
will put stop to the exploitation OF
war conditions to raise prices to the
consumer for the benefit of a few
For several weeks the grand jury
has been investigating food prices. I'M
der the direction of Special Assistant
Attorney General Robert W. Childs and
Oliver E. Pagan, federal indictment eX-
pert. The report to- the court was
handed down in the place of true bills.
The judge ordered transcripts of the
report forwarded to the vice president
as presiding officer Of the senate the
speaker Of the house Of representa-
tives, the attorney general and the
senators from Illinois.
New Jury to Take Up Work.
Mr. Childs said another grand jury
to be called soon will take up the
investigation where the June jury left
off and that this grand jury without
doubt will return indictments.
Under four subheads the grand jury S
report deals with the food situation.
Canned goods, butter, cold storage ana
wholesale dealers in food products are
dealt with separately.
Summary Of Report.
Here are excerpts from the report:
Gamers. brokers, wholesalers and
jobbers have associations which Sc
lect committees whose function il is
to meet at intervals. The Gamers
wholesalers and jobbers have devised
some means for insuring complete CO.
operation among themselves. which re-
suits in keeping the Gamer from deal
ing directly with the consumer or the
retailer.
wholesalers and jobbers will not
buy from Gamers, in most cases. other
than thru brokers. If retailers attempt
to resist the combination by produc-
ing directly from the Gamer, they find
1t difficult or impossible to do any fur
Their business with the wholesalers or
jobbers as to other groceries.
This situation conpels the consum-
er to bear the expense OF maintaining
the middlemen, and in times like the
present these middlemen exert the
power that inheres in this system to
extort unconscionable profits from
consumers, with no proportionate ben
eat to those who furnish the principal
service-to wit, the farmers, Gamers
and such retailers as are satisfied with
reasonable profits above costs
Cite Tomatoes and Corn.
ITO illustrate the foregoing. we cite
the increase Of the price Of canned
in, q
hands Of these middlemen during the
last year:
Canned tomatoes were sold by the
Gamers in the spring Of 1915. thru
brokers for future delivery, to whole
salers and tobbers at 80 cents per
dozen cans. These same tomatoes are
being sold today by wholesalers and
jobbers to retailers at S2!25 and more
per dozen, and consumers are now get
ting one can for 20 cents instead OF
the two or three cans they got for that
sum prior to this season. Cans and
labels, being furnished by the Gamers,
do not enter into the increase in cost
in the hands of the middlemen.
Canned corn, which was sold in
1915 by the Gamer to the wholesaler
and iobber at S. cents per dozen. is
selling to the retailer at s1.15 per
dozen and the consumer is paying
proportionately high price.
.. Urge Laws on Prices. 49,.
'In view Of this situa ton in the
canned goods trade, and of the ex-
stence Of similar conditions ii the
trade IN other food products and nee
essaries, we urge the passage of laws
to eliminate these conditions and to
reduce prices to a normal basis as
soon as possible.
Furthermore in consequence OF
these conditions, brokers. wholesalers
and jobbers are in a position to, and
many Of them do. hoard up, specu-
late In, and demand excessive prices
for these commodities; and no doubt
they are in the same position with
reference TO many of the other neces-
saries Of life handled by them.
because E!gin was at one time a
creamery center the people Of the Unit
ed States continue to follow prices
quoted as 'Elgin' prices, altho very lit
tie butter is now made or legitimately
traded in there.
TT seems that few traders and
dealers, most Of whom are Chicago
traders, take advantage Of this situa
ton to go to Elgin once week and
make a few trades on the Elgin board
Of trade, and thus establish price for