Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-23
.H|GHER COST or L|v|NG
CAUSES MUCH COMPLAINT
Steady Upward Trend OF Food Prices
Comes Despite Government
Control of Production.
CONDITIONS MIGHT BE WORSE
Nations Board Bill Has Advanced
Only 3 IL Per Cent in Past Year.
Greatest Increase Found to BE in
Oils and Nuts.
Especial TO The Timos-Dispa,ch. !

Y Oils and Nuts.
Especial 20 The Times Dispatch
WASHINGTON. September c2--Bit-
ter complaint is being voiced against
tho ovcr-incrcasinG cost of living and
the consequent loss in the purchasing
power OF the dollar. Nor is this COM
PLANT confined TO any section or dis
trict 1t proceeds from tho country
as whole and from all classes OF
people. but, OF course more particu-
larly from those OF limited means.
And this steady upward trend of
food prices has come notwithstanding
the governments nominal control OF
production, distribution. and to a,largc
degree. of the marketing of food pro-
ducts. circumstance which has led
many people 10 wonder IL the rcgula-
ton now imposed is effective or if it is
possible for the governmec:, in time of
war. TO protect the consuming public
from excessive prices.
Such people probably do no, reckon
upon what conditions might have been,
however, IL there had been no Federal
control of food supplies They doubt
less fail TO realize the extent TO which
eNtortion would have been practiced
II there had been no food administra-
ton: or how high ordinary staples
would have scared, il there had been
night NV
The same. moreover, is true OF coal.
Tho price OF coal has advanced In
spite of the rigid control which the
government has over the supply. and
this has been matter OF dis:ppoint-
nent to many thousands OF coal users
But il has not advanced anything like
as much as it ould have if the heavy
hand OF the fuel administration had
true OF a season like last winter when
me supply was totally inadequate and
when people of means would gladly
have paid almost any price to have Sc
cured what coal there was available, IL
inc Tn so' fdnn had permitted il.
that the country is not altogether sat
iSned with the results OF it's rcgula-
ton. in the matter OF existing prices
ana believing that there is wide pread
!niSapprehension regarding the increase
IN IN food costs. has issued a statement.
the burden of which is that in the
past year, the advance in the nation's
food bin has only been Sig per cent
IL shows mat. whereas. there has been
pies. there has been IN actual do
crease in others.
Ths statement is BASED upon an in
EestlGation Of the expenditures for food
IN tho last three quarters OF 1917 and
Inc hrsl TWO quarters e. 1918. cover
orcadstuffs, vegetables. sugar, fruits.
oils and nuts, FISH. meats, poultry and
eggs and dairy products. SIX OF which
have increased in the past year and
three OF which have decreased
INC amount OF money expended for
food in the second quarter OF 1917. at
INC average wholesale price. was So
b63.6 ,?ot. For the second quarter or
i:iS the amount expended was S2.G9J.-
ISl's,l an Increase during th> year
al-2 per cent. The increases i'm the
siS commodities which occurred during
the past year are AS follows:
Fer cent
F 1arn1rs'u"s ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 90
oi oils NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 3G3
Poultry and eggs .....:... ISs
Dairy products .............. 6.3
The three commodities which de-
Fer cent
Vegetables Observation-Disclosures. CT
sugar observation-disclosures. Z.
Fish ................ 90
Naturally these figures partirularJv
those showing decrease Viii bo sur
pris!nS 10 great many people who
had noticed no decrease. in their vegc-
table. their sugar or their fish hills
Commenting upon the subject general
~ the food administrator SAYS that
inc increases which have taken place
been greatly ovcrcstimatcd by laying
too much emphasis on special cases
DECREASES HAVE TAKEN
PLACE IN SOME SECTIONS
while this computation covers tho
Who!" nations expenditures at whole
sale prices and thus clearly Indicates
The national trend. i, does not follow
mat there are no local variations. In
those sections Wstrrc there has been a
great local increases" in population, there
has been disiurb;cnce or distriDu-
ton and prices have Increased To a
larger per cent. ON the other hand
there are CORES pondinE sections OF tho
country where actual decreases or no
increases have taken place"
one explorations offered by the food
admlnistration for the reduced pur-
chasing power OF the dollar is the fact
NCCrEgli n fa h.Nr
creased enormously throughout the
country. IN some instances many times
INC increase IN the cost of food pro-
ducts. The cost of rent clothing
transportation and other items OF l!v-
ing have advanced several Hines n.
Hucn as the aggregate increase in The
cost OF :oodstuns.' the administration
The food officials ins.s, that prac;
cally AL the increase in food products
during the past year has gone 10 the
farmer, and not IN profits TO he deal
ers, citing the fact that the prevail
ing regulations have reduced, the mar
gin Of profits for the Wholesaler No
mention is made Of the retailers
30 ptr cent increase in prices paid .ne
farmer. Tho statement says on this
point, but also "a reduction of specu-
latIon and proftccrins and narrowed
margins between farmers and whole
sale prices under FOOD regulations
The Rooms and Hoard Ad. In The
1lmea-D i"putrh arc read ny hundrcds
OF people before they come TO Rich
mond. Go out and meet the stranger
through Timcs-Dispntch Want Ads.