Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-29
RETAIL GROCERY PRICES
ARE TO BE, FIXED WEEKLY
Committees Are Named Representing Various Sections
Of City, Following Conference Of Grocers With Food
Administration Officias-Limit Profit on Flour

NJ warning had previously been
given OF tho bomb which was dropped
Squarcly into the midst OF the meet
ing OIL liichmond's leading Eroccrs last
night in John Marshall High School
auditorium called at the request of
Nirrinia's food administrator. Colonel
l.. Is. White. or I,ichmond's 500 Srocers.
$50 were present at the meeting. These
were representative retailers from diff
icrent sections of the city. Samuel
Heller was elected chairman of the
meeting. and he introduced X. G. Moo
NAV, chairman of the committee on
price considerations, of the staff OF the
state food administration. and head OF
the Division OF Markets of the State
Department Of Agriculture.
In the absence of Colonel White. who
was unavoidably detained in WASH
inGton. Mr.. Moomaw explained briefly
the purposes Of the meeting. lie stated
that one Of tho principles Of the adj
innistration was not TO make an arbi-
trary ruling in tho matter Of food con-
scrvation. but rather to ask the advice
and assistance Of tho Interested parties.
and the cooperation Of the men whose
business was Immediately affected. The
retail merchants. he said. had been eI-
copied so far from stringent rcSula-
tons. but they were now asked to CO.
operate with tho administration in a
matter Of vital interest to all food
PUBLISH WEEKLY LISTS
OF RETAIL PRICES
Tho text Of this matter was a bull
ict'n just received from Washington
headquarters which requires the State
food administration 10 publish in tho
main towns of NirS mia weekly lists OF
wholesale aud retail prices on season
able commodities
| Mr.. Mooinaw went on 10 say that the
al f,f
Richmond and other large cities were
wholly distinct. There was the small
grocer III outlying sections Of tho city
who paid a low rent md was thus able
10 sell his stuff cheaper than the big
fellow downtown in the central retail
section who had to pay high rentals
aud tho expense Of running whose busi-
ness was very much greater than that
Of the little follow. and who must
therefor" make a larger profit on his
sales.
Because the competition among re-
tail EroccrS is keen, said Mr.. Moomaw ".
there is. after all. very little excess
profit. but the Federal food admins
;ration has decided that In order 10
give tho consumer definite idea OF the
range OF prices, a. we'll az To- prevent
overcharEtn on the part OF any grocer
50 inclined. and. Indirectly. TO commend
70 the consumer the merchant who IS
reasonable in his charges. il has been
found advisable 10 issue this order.
which wiz SC acted upon immediately.
To expedite this matter. and to avoid
endless confusion. the state food ad-
miniStration recommended tho appoint
mont Of committees representing the
various classes OF groccrs doing bust
ness in tho city.
WHOLESALE MEN HAVE
NAMED COMMITTEES
The Wholesale men an. the commits
3
stated. have already appointed their
\ committees. Hugh Antrim is chairman
( Of the wholesalers committee. and w.
/ &. Carpenter, OF the commission mcr-
I chants. Food notes" VIII be publish
i ed simultaneously with tho official lists.
These food notes viii have a distinct
I educational value 10 the consumer.
I since they viii call attention 10 any
commodity tho supply OF which is in
excess At that time. Housewives Will
be urged TO buy items OF produce which
are abundant. Attention will be called
I also 10 the commodities OF which there
/ is a normal supply. and the pcrisha lie
produce ON hand. The price lists and
the food notes will serve as means
Of directing the buying public along
/ intelligent lines.
/ Before proceeding further the chair
man was asked TO name nominating
/ committee to select local committees
q
retail sroccrs in Richmond. This COM
mittce. consisting of Mcssrs. Eubank
Gilman, Wallcrstein COSBY and
\ Hawks, made the following recommen-
dations, which were approved b. the
/ srocerS present:
/ Downtown-Gordon Wallace. Her
mann Schmidt. James NJ CARRIER. Dave
I Wallcrstcin. L. T. Ciman.
4 NciGhborhood-J. L. Euhank. j. NJ.
( Tmbcrlakc, Henry Winston, w. 4. Gill.
Suburban-A. y. Cosby, Barney Rriel,
y r.. Chisholm +. T. Whciton.
/ Outlying-D. l.. Baker, W. c. Carbett,
Charles Berry, NJ. iillsman.
CENTRAL COMMITTEE; TO
/ HAVE FINAL AUTHORITY
\ representative from each of these
/ local committees. the wholesale COM
| mittcc and the commission mems com
| mi;tec, together with Mr. Moomaw. as
! representative of the Federal food ad
ministration in Virginia. will consti-
/ tutc the central committee which will
meet and make the final decision on
prices for the published lists each week.
1t was suggested that the meeting OF
this committee be held on Thursdays
of each week. Immediately following
the simultaneous meeting of the COM
mittees in the different sections or the
city representing the classes of the
! retail trade.
Because this is an innovation which
4 has no precedent this central COM
mittee. realizing its responsibilities,
will begin with only a few staple COM
modities. These will be sugar. flour.
potatoes. meal. lard. lard compounds.
black eyed peas and potatoes. The aim
OF the committee is TO give an abso-
! lutely fair deal to everybody concerned.
| If complaints arc received the prices
| Will be reviewed and investigated.
The reason for publishing these
lists explained Mr.. Moomaw. "is not
| to jerk you up but TO accomplish an
equalization in prices. The retail groc-
crs viii have the heaviest representa-
| ton on the committee, and square
deal is assured them"
REGULATIONS AS TO
SALE OF FLOUR
Mr.. Dudley. Colonel Whites secrc-
tary. then took the floor and read tn
| instructions which are being mailed
| out from Colonel Whites Office regulat-
| ing the sale Of -four to customers.
| The text Of the telegram received
yesterday from Mr. Hoover is as fol-
! lows:
| The sale OF flour by retailers. millers
/ IL ,11rx