New-York tribune., 1918-02-02
High Price Of Substitutes
Causes Postponement Of
Decree Until March |
Hoarding Is Charged
Dealers Allege Consumers
Are Buying More Than
They Need

Coincident with the Federal Food
Boards modification of the regulations
governing bakers, the New York State
Food Board yesterday reduced the state
restrictions on the sale of flour, point
ing out that the scarcity and high cost
of substitutes made this step necessary.
Not until March !. it was announced,
will the "ffty fifty order, which makes
retailers sell an equal quantity of
cereal substitute with each purchase of
wheat -four, go into effect.
From February / to February "A. III
elusive, wholesalers must sell retailers
not less than three pounds of cereal
with seven pounds of wheat -four, tie
proportion in retail sales being one to
three.
From February IS to February 2s, in
elusive, the wholesaler-t to consumer pro-
portion is to be four to six and the
rctailer-to consumer proportion two to
three.
More "Victory" Bread Sold
Shortage OF substitutes is still both
cring New York bakers, but more "Vic-
tory bread is appearing in the stores
every day.
The Federal Food Board is investl-
eating many complaints of flour hoard
ing in homes. The salutary effect OF
the warning sent to thirty-livc Ger
mantown, n. T., residents, who each
had purchased more than a barrel Of
flour from the Germantown Coopera-
tive Society, in spite of the regulation
which limits individual purchases in
small towns to a quarter of a barrel,
encouraged the board to press the in
veStlgation in other quarters.
New York storckeepers and dealers
nave given The Tribune information
which indicates that the warming is
lost on great many New York fami-
lies. They are almost unanimous in
declaring that the retail demand for
wheat flour has taken a big jump re-
Gently, and that attempts to hoard are
the only explanation of the phcno-
A. +. Bcckman & Co. have Shut Off
the sale OF flour because of the demand.
kiehard Gristede, of Gristede Broth
ers, said that his sales Of flour have
practically doubled. in spite Of the fact
that he is selling an equal quantity of
other cereal with each order Of flour.
II he supplied all orders, he said, his
sales would go UP 500 per cent
Public Refusing Substitutes
+. Parker Of Parker's Stores, said he
1s getting only half his regular suppjv
OF -four. and that the public refuses
substitutes.
Many small retail stores report that
nouseholders, anticipating flour short
age. are purchasing moro than usual.
Iherc is boarding, but we cannot
say how much said representative
Of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea
Company.
Many groccrs. because of the high
price and scarcity of substitutes, have
been unable TO carry out tho "hfty-
fifty" order. J. o. Wade, manager or
the Plllsbury Flour Company, said it
vas extremely hard to prevent hoard
ing while all other cereals are Just az
dear as wheat -four.
A representative of the Washburn-
Crosby Company said he didn't know
whether the public was boarding or
merely trying to catch up with last
summers shortage, which was due to
doubt on the part of farmers, elevator
owners and miIlcrs as to what the gov
ernment intended to do.
a comparison of The prices Of wheat
and substitutes was given. as follows:
Wheat flour costs the receivers here.
representing the milling companies.
Sl0.75 barrel OF 1876 pounds The re-
covers gross profit is 25 cents bar
rel. The wholesalers gross profit is rs
cents barrel. The retailers gross
profit is so cents to $l.2O a barrel. The
retail price. therefore, is from $3.50
to S1200. The wholesale price of corn
meal is $40 to slO.5O a barrel, and that
Of rye $40 to slo.75, but prices arc not
regulated as with wheat.
Wheat Shortage Worse
The recent cold weather has made
New York's wheat shortage worse. In