Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-13
CHAMBER. CHEERS.
FOR D. SUFFRAGE
Representative Reed Gives
Assurance That He
Favors Vote Here.
NO -PROFITEERING IN FOOD

That the business men of Washing
ton are eager to renew their drive for
representation in Congress was demon
strated by the cheers that went up at
a meeting of the Chamber OF Com
merce last night when Representa-
tive Stuart F. Reed Of West Virginia
declared himself il favor Of suffrage.
for the District Representative Reed
is a member Of the House District.
committee. -:
Telling how new republics would be
born with independence in Europe as
a result of the allied victory, he said:
'.And while we are on the subject
of home rule for nations across the
ocean. let me pause to say that I am
in favor of a little of it right here in
the District of Columbia"
Albert Schulteis proposed a rising
vote of thanks, both for the speech
and for the support which ''Washing-
ton will expect from Mr.. Reed when
the question of local suffrage comes
up in Congress"
Find No Food Profteering.
The feature of the business meet
ing was the adoption of a report of
the food-ommittee, abso1ving retail
food dealers Of the city of the charge
of profiteering.
The report stated that after care
full inquiry the committee is confident
that:
IF the retail dealers comply with
the rulings of the food administrator
the profits realized on the sale of such
articles as butter, cheese, eggs, lard,
compound lard, ham, bacon. flour,
meal, rice, bread, beans, oleo and nut
oleo will not average more than II
per cent gross, and that if the retail
the prices fixed by the food admins
traitor it will be impossible for many
of them to. continue in business. as
We find that the cost of doing bust
ness at the present time is about 70
per cent.
"Your committee is of the opinion
that the retailer or jobber is in no
way responsible for the prevailing
high prices. 1t appears that the job
her is paying to the producer. and to
the Gamers of fruits and vegetables,
more than double the price at which
wholesale jobber before the war, and
that these conditions prevail all over
the country. Your committee be-
lieves that the producers and manu-
facturers are responsible for the
present high prices. and not the re-
tailerS.
At Mercy of Producer.
at must be borne in mind that the
retail dealer is at the mercy of the
producer at all times. He has to sell
his goods in all sizes and in all guam
ties, and. moreover, must give serv-
ice to his customers. This, however.
does not apply to what are commonly
known as the chain stores as they
require the purchaser to pay cash and
carry This suits the buyer who does
not desire service. but the majority
of the consumers demand service. and
are willing to pay for 1T. iSefNice
greatly adds to the cost of carrying
on business. as to furnish the SerV-
ploy additional help and equipment,
which, in these abnormal, times are
ct is the opinion of your committee
that the government should not un-
dertake to fix the prices of perishable
of such goods, the dealer frequently
has to suffer a. loss upon the cost
price, to avoid wastage. which in
view of the present scarcity Of foods,
it is the patriotic duty of all dealersi
to guard against. and, if possible, to
prevent"
In conclusion the committee declared
that this report unanimously adopt
ed by the chamber. clearly indicates
that there is no profteerinB on the
part of the. retailers George H.
Brown. chairman of the committee.
said the committee will continue to
investigate the food problem in Wash
ington.
Sale of Impure Milk.
DR.. c. r. Dufour, chairman of the
health committee. again urged upon
the chamber the need for law under
which the health department could
prosecute dealers who sell impure
milk in Washington. DR.. Dufour
pointed out that there is a. law under
which the local authorities can re-
woke the license of a dealer who ships
bad milk into the city from nearby
states, but that this law does not ap-