The Washington times., 1918-06-01
INVESTIGATION
Of VEGETABLE,
fruit, ANDFISH
PRICES STARTS
BY BILL PRICE.

Vegetable and fruit prices in wash
ington markets, stores and wagons Of
itInerant hucksters will soon receive
the attention of Clarence Wilson,
Federal food administrator for the
District. And when he does go into
thoroughly. with the sole object in
view Of holding down prices to rea-
sonable profts and the protection Of
the public against what is declared to
be a far worse brand OF prohteering
than exists in any other food line.
The vegetable and fruit season for
this vicinity will not begin to reach
its greatest activity for some weeks,
and by that time Mr.. Wilson will get
into the game with the earnestness
and vigor that is beginning to i'm
press food prohteers and hoarders
that prohts here shall be reasonable,
and that food shall not be hidden
away for the benefit of a few at the
expense Of the many.
To Study Fish Prices.
Mr.. Wilson is daily wrestling with
many features Of the food situation
in the District, and is clearing them
up as fast as possible. Next week
he is to have a conference with fish
dealers in this city to determine
what steps he will take regarding
facts ascertained by his office that
at times the profits on fish run from
80 to 800 per cent. An investigation
Of fish prices in the northwest por-
tion Of the District was made yes
terday by Mr.. Wilson's inspectors fol-
lowing several days OF careful in
vestigation in other parts OF the city.
His office finds no difficulty in get
ting the exact prices paid by dealers
for supplies. Wholesale dealers are
compelled to turn over to inspectors
copies Of sales slips showing the ex-
act prices. In the absence of sales
slips to consumers the Food Admins
tration must get retail prices through
employees OF that office.
At the conclusion OF the conference,
when Mr.. Wilson will convey a clear
warning to dealers to hold retail
prices within fair bounds or take the
consequences, an appeal may be made
to the public to cooperate in the use
OF cheaper priced fish. that there may
be less waste, all the facts showing
that the public, through some strange
mental attitude, give preference to
high priced fish. The result is that
many barrels OF fine FISH that happen
to reach the Washington market in
large quantities spoil because dealers
will not handle them.
River Point Arrivals.
The wholesale prices are regulated
to a large extent by arrivals from
river points One day there will be
big catches of one variety of fish, and
the next day this variety will be
comparatively scarce. Mr.. Wilson
wants to know whether It is the fault
of the public in ignoring opportuni-
ties for reduced prices or whether II
Is the line of talk OF the trade that
prejudices the public and causes
prices to be kept high regardless OF
supplies.
Meat price Investigations are to
start when Mr.. Wilson's committee.
headed by himself and Commissioner
Brownlow, is completed. His office is
constantly in touch with the meat sit
uation, but not in the extent OF de-
tail that will characterize the work
Of the committee.
Claims m to Vegetables.
As to the products Of nearby truck
farms, which furnish the vegetables
and part of the fruit supplies Of the
District, reports to Mr.. Wilson are
that exorbitant profits have been made
for years on these products. Truck
farmers have bitterly complained that
supplies brought in by them are
bought at comparatively low prices
by retailers and are Immediately sold
at profits ranging all the way from