Evening star., 1918-05-28
d. c. STOREKEEPER
| WILL Be PUNISHED
Food Administrator Calls Co.
Iumbia Road Dealer
to'His Office.
SALES SLIPS EVIDENCE

A Columbia road storekeeper is to
be the first to feel the heavy hand OF
tho District food administrator since
his announcement last Saturday that
in the future price raisers in Wash
ington would be dealt with harshly.
According to the information in the
ONCE OF the administrator this dealer
has for long time been ignoring
the quotations in the official fair
price list published weekly and has
been charging prices. in many In
stances. greatly in excess Of the Of
dctal fair-price quotations.
Administrator Wilson. after receiv-
ing several complaints from house.
keepers about this dealer. today sum-
moned him to the Administrators Of
fice and tomorrow will announce what
punishment will be dealt to him. 1t
is considered likely that Mr.. Wilson
will close up his place Of business for
temporary period.
What Sales Slips Show.
Sales slips which were placed in
Mr.. Wilson's hands showed that this
dealer was charging IS cents for fan
cy grade Of butter for which he paid
81 cents. The food regulations allow
a dealer to charge cents more than
the wholesale price, and in this case
the profit is 10 cents. For another
grade Of butter the dealer was charg-
ing so cents for which he paid IL
cents.
The slips show also that the dealer
charged 80 cents for fresh eggs for
| which he paid only 80 cents. which
the food regulations permit only 6
cents advance in the price OF eggs.
For cheese. 40 cents was being
charged. and this product is quoted
in the weekly fafr-price list at 81
cents, and according to administra-
ton officers. the best fresh cheese
on the market can be purchased at
the latter figure.
Flour Raised Exasperates.
What was particularly exasperatins
| to Administrator Wilson was this
dealers price raising in the case OF
wheat -four. For months the admin
| istration has been declaring that
flour should not retail for more than
| cents pound.
This dealer il reported to have ad-
mitted that he was aware of the
weekly fair-price list. but that he did
not consider that 1t applied to him
He said his customers frequently pro-
| tested against his high prices. and he
told them that he had to make de.
cent profit IL he was to continue in
business.
Administrator Wilson said there are
many others fike this dealer, and now
that the housewives are beginning to
realize the importance of their coop
Grafton with the District food admin
istration they are sending in their
sales slips showing where they have
paid prices for food articles in ad-
| vance Of the prices quoted on the
fair-price list In this way, Mr.. Will
son says, he will be able to run down
those retailers who profiteer
In connection with the rigid meal
price investigation which Admins
traitor Wilson has planned for this
city, with the view to bringing about
q reasonable reduction in prices. Ad-
miniserator Wilson today announced
the appointment Of the following te
serve as the committee which will
conduct this inquiry:
Louis Brownlow. Jesse Adkins and
Mr.. Hall of the bureau Of markets oi
the Department Of Agriculture. Mr.
Wilson hopes to add one OF two name.
to the committee within tho next day
or so. He is anxious to have a repre-
sentative from the Federal Trade
Board serve.