The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-04
Much Agitation Caused by
Raise in Prices Here.
WOman's Club Will Be Asked
To Start a Probe.
MANLEY UPHOLDS THE "HIKE"
Says Raise Was Necessary To
Keep Business Going.
Babies of Poor Will Suffer. Mrs.
Monroe Says.

The path of Topeka milk companies
and dealers, should they continue to
maintain their milk price increase at
- cents quart in the face of the
fact that producers are getting only
5A cents quart, will be strewn with
thorns and barbed-wire entanglements,
it was apparent today. Prominent To-
peka club women declared their in
tention of taking a hand and. ION be-
half of the welfare of the children of
the city. making a thoro investigation
of the matter"
UNLESS there is a very substantial
reason" said Mrs. Lila Day Monroe.
prominent women's club leader, prices
charged for milk here should not be
increased. This is no time for profit
eering.
Milk is an essential element in the
diet of the citys children. Grown peo-
pie can Hooverize in the face of price
increases, but children canno.. l can
say for the club women that we, as
women. think it is our duty to make a
thoro investigation of conditions in
view of the welfare of the children of
the city,
Clubs May Take Action
In accordance with Mrs. Monroe's
assertions, several women today de-
clared their intention of carrying the
price increase before the Woman's S
striven for by those behind the opposi-
tion to the increase. 1t is pointed out
that the conditions as they now exist
affect individuals only slightly. but the
effect on the city as a whole is serious
especially among the poore classes
where children's parents were unable
to furnish them with sufficient milk
under old prices. Considerable agita-
tion was aroused today by the charge
that the Topeka Pure Milk company
practically controls Topeka prices
and that the present increase is a
public feefer'srir view of raising the
price to 3 cents a quart next fall.
Coming at the time of the year when
milk production is cheaper than at any
other season, the price increase is
| probably arousins more opposition
than it would at any other time.
1. r. Manley. of the Topeka Pure
Milk company today attempted to
show that the price increase to Il
cents "a quart is justifiable. Manley
asserted that his company either had
to place the increase in effect or "go
out of business
He Says Profits Arc Fair.
He declared that the milk company
itself retails very little milk from
wagons it owns. The most of the de-
liverymen. thos ewho bring the bottles
to the consumers back door, own their
own wagons. The company Manley
for II cents quart. Manley claimed
| that all the profits involved in the
tune the milk leaves the producer to
the time it reaches the consumer is
Just. He submitted items that even
covered bottle caps to maintain that
the milk company was charging a
! minimum price. He declared there
had been an increase in the cost of
milk bottles, but failed to lay empha-
SIS on the fact that consumers always
| return their bottles and do not buy
: them along with the milk.
Practically all the grocery stores on
west Sixth street are still retailing
milk for and 10 cents quart None
OF these grocerymen buy milk from
/ Manley's company. This morning a
woman called Manley over the tele-
phone and told him that a grocery
which obtained cream from his COM
pany was retailing it for Is cents a
half pint. Manley declared that the
company was selling cream to the
| groceryman for 10 cents a half pint so
I that he would be able to retail for 1 .
| cents and promised to look into the
complaint. 1t appeared that the groc-
eryman is doing some profiteering
/ hi