Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-07
VERMONT GROCERS'
LOYAL RESPONSE
Seem DESTROYS of Making Full
Compliance with $3.50
Flour Order.

st. Adams, Jan. 31.-A general desire on
| the part Of the great majority of the
grocers Of Vermont to observe strictly the
national food administrations order that
flour be sold only In a 5000 combination
with certain other cereals intended for
human consumption has been shown, &C.
cording to a statement issued tonight at
| the office Of Acting Federal Food Ad-
ministrator John T. Gushing. In scattered
instances there has been a failure to COM
ply with the rules but instant action has
been taken in dealing with such cases and
in every instance promise to observe the
rules was obtained. Failure to comprehend
the new order was found to be the reason
for most of these offenses.
Furthermore. from telephone interviews
with grocers in every section Of the State
Mr.. Gushing obtained an expression of
opinion that 1t will be possible TO continue,
for time at least, sales en- the $3.50
basis instead Of changing the percentage
to 1920. 7b-S or 70-30 as has been done in
some States. Many grocer expressed q
feeling Of State pride in demonstrating
that vermonters are determined to do their
full bit in winning the war and said they
desired to continue the $3.50 basis ordered
by Federal Food Administrator Hoover
until 1t was shown that 1t could not be
maintained because Of the failure of wheat
substitutes to arrive in sufficient quantities
for the future as promised.
In this connection the grocers Of st..
Adams at a meeting held this afternoon
expressed the opinion that the $3.50 stand
ard could be maintained If the public
would cooperate by not attempting to
purchase flour at this time unless
absolutely compelled to do so but to use
up what they have on hand and IL the
bakers were not restricted in their output
and were able to meet full demands for
victory bread. In a resolution offered by
M. F. Sullivan, member of the State
grocers' central board, and adopted with
out dissenting voice it was voted that
the sense of grocers of this city was to
uphold the State food administration in
its effort to maintain the $3.50 standard.
Mr.. Gushing said tonight that the
st. Adams grocers in their action reflected
the loyal cooperation Of the great ma
5ority of the large number Of retailers
throughout the State with whom he has
talked during the past two days.
He also said that he was making every
effort to protect loyal grocers who were
carefully observing the regulations from
the unfair and unpatriotic competition
OF the few who had been trying to avoid
the new rules. He also said there must
be that close observance Of the order
that flour be sold only in from one-eight
to one-quarter barrel quantities in the
towns and cities and from quarter to half
barrel lots in the country districts
To clear up doubts entertained by some
grain dealers Mr.. Cushing to-day made
1t plain that all dealers in flour may
sell only in the combination required by
Washington and that the fact that a
dealer does not happen to have substi-
tutes on hand does not make it legal for
him to make sales without the substi-
tutes.
That cereals are now moving toward
Vermont from the West is certain and
the State administration has been able
to put many merchants in the way Of
obtaining immediate shipments of substi-
tutes from present supplies. although in
small quantities. Mr.. Cushing Is hope
full that the State will be able to MAIN
tain the $3.50 basis and he expects that
the spirit of cooperation shown by sew
eral millers and wholesalers will result
IN the furnishing Of the needed substi-
tutes. I'm order to do this. however,"
he said. 1.-THE people must give their
fullest measure Of cooperation