Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-07-15
Price Interpreting Committee is Nam.
ed for Hamilton County, COM
posed of Merchants and
Others Interested.
LIST OF PRICES SCHEDULED
Give Wholesale and Range Of Fair Re.
tail Prices for Principal
FOOdstuifs.

Deems, food administrator for Iowa,
County Food Administrators V. c.
Crosley and J. w. Lee, have appointed
a price interpreting committee for
Hamilton county, on which devolves
the duty of informing the public as to
prices on foodstuffs.
The committee is composed of W.
A. Crandall, Jas. Bossert and Sam r.
Sheldon, representing the dealers,
with B. A. Wilson representing the
consumers, and they, together with the
county food administrators and J. G.
Want HUI, Jr., secretary, have met to
give attention to these important mat
tiers.
The duties of this committee are
regarded by the United States food
administration as of vital Importance.
On the committee the ultimate con-
sumner is represented and the belief
prevails that it has done and can do
much more to protect the interests OF
the consumer, as we'll as affording the
retail merchants an avenue through
which they can overcome the misun-
derstandings that may arise on ac-
count Of unusual price changes.
Cost Disclosed.
This committee required all Hamil-
ton county retail dealers to disclose
their cost and sale prices every deal
er having filed such price lists as Of
recent date). To the cost of goods as
shown by their lists was added the
reasonable profits which have been
fixed by the United States food admin
istration, and which were furnished
the committee. These prices are for
publication in the newspapers. The
purpose is to protect the consumers
and help them to better understand
ing of present prices of staple foods,
and knowing the original cost to both
wholesaler and retailer, plus the
profits allowed by the U. S. food adj
ministration, consumers will very
quickly be able to locate responsibility
for unsatisfactory conditions.
This committee hopes to meet every
week and this paper will publish the
price Interpretation report made by it
for the benefit Of Hamilton county
merchants and our readers who trade
with them.
Method of Basing Prices.
Wholesale: To the jobbers' invoices
are added freight from factory; dray-
age from depot to wholesale establish
ment and expense of handling into
warehouse, plus reasonable prof.
for wholesalers as fixed by U. S. food
administration. Total becomes the
price to the retailer.
Retail: To retailers invoices are
added freight from wholesale house;
drayage from depot and expense OF
handling into retail store, plus reason
able profit to retailer as fixed by U. S.
food administration. Total becomes
the price to the consumer
Price FluctuatiOn.
Necessarily, the prices of various
commodities cannot be exactly the
same in all localities, or at all times,
depending upon supply and demand,
seasonableness of goods, distances to
be shipped, delivery conditions, cost OF
labor, etc. Nor should the consumer
overlook the fact that there are many
different grades of the same commod-
ity, at varying prices, under any condi-
tons, and in the report of the COM
mittec this range has been carefully
considered as applying to both whole
sale and relative retail costs.
Flour and Meals.
Where purchased in original pack
age lots, the price is naturally less
than if sold in broken or smaller
packages; allowance must be made
8,
ials used in re-handling same.
From the price lists filed by the
merchants of this county, the commit
tee found in some particular articles
of non-perishable food. some differ
ence in cost prices and in retail pric :.
This was due in some cases to dealer
buying in larger quantities at times
when market prices were lower or
!. higher than the regular price for that
particular. commodity at the time. To
illustrate: one merchant bought a
supply of beans at ia cents, which
he is selling at Is cents while more
recent market prices for the same
article are as high as II cents, selling
in that case up to % cents per pound.
On the other hand, other commodities
-