Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-05
SAYS WHOLESALERS
CAUSE HIGH PRICES
Chief of Bureau of Labor Sta
tisticS Asserts Blame Is
Not on Retailers.
CITES FIGURES TO SHOW

Wholesalers. rather than the retail
ers. deserve the attention OF the food
administration. Dr. Royal Meeker chic
Of the bureau of labor satisfies. Z be-
lieyes. The bureau today made public
figures which show that since the be
ginning OF 1917 the retail prices ,!
many foods have fuctuated q =. a
lively lower level. as compared 7 'sh
their 1918 price than have the VIZ -
sale prices.
This is particularly noticeable in the
case of bacon, lard. dressed Lamb, but
ter milk, eggs -four, corn meal and
potatoes.
Practically every comparison is IN
favor of the retailer. The bureau OF
labor statistics set the 1919 price of
the various comm ODDITIES as a S.snda I'd.
ard gave that price tie figure zoe"
Proceeding upon this basis. the bu-
reau shows tkat since 1915 the whole
sale price of steer ion ends al ChicaS so
during November 1917. had Increased
40 per cent. whereas the retail price Of
sirloIn steak at Chicago had increased
but IS per cent over the retail price of
1913
Increase in Similar Meats.
Steer rounds wholesale. increased 81
per cent. while round steak increased
but 81 per cent. Various kinds Of beef
showed similar large increases on the
part of the wholesa ieFS IN comparison
with retailers.
Pork loins at New York increased Il
per cent. wholesale. as compared with
56 per cent retail.
Wholesale bacon prices a chicago
Jumped 149 per cent over the 1913 level
whereas sliced bacon a Chicago re-
tailed but 50 per cent higher in No
vember. 1911, as compared with its re-
tail price in 1913
So the comparisons run through lard,
milk. eggs and other foodstuffs. with
the balance in favor of the retailer in
practically every instance. In most OF
the other months of 1917 the retail
prices of these articles were relatively
lower than were the wholesale prices.
The retail price of food as a whole,
the bureau of la Dor statistics report de-
clares. shows decrease of l per cent
in November. 1917. as compared with
the month previous.
Decreases Are Shown.
Pork chops decreased II per cent:
hens. ) per cent; sirloin and round
steak. per cent each: -four. per
cent. and sugar. . per cent Onions in
creased IN price Is per cent. lard ana
butter. per cent each; eggs. ) per
cent: potatoes. 3 per cent: rice, per
cent. and meal, ] per cent. Beans. bread,
ham and bacon. says the report, re-
manned the same price as in October.
In the year from November Is. 1916,
to- November Is, 1917, prices of food as
a whole advanced 90 per cent. Potatoes
is the only article that shows decline
in price Corn meal advanced 81 per
cent: bacon CO per cent: pork chops AS
par cent: beans SO per cent; salmon IS
per cent; milk SO per cent. and lard %
per cent
Food as a whole was As per cent
higher on November Is, 1917, than on
November IS. 1913, and As per cent
higher than on November Is. 1914 Dur
ing this four-year period corn. meal ad-
ranced 121 per cent: flour 109 per cent:
lard i04 per cent; bacon - per cent;
sugar I. per cent. and potatoes ~ per
cent No article declined in price
Figures for Washington substantially
bore out the above conclusions. Even
tea. per pound jumped from 81 cents
In November. 1915, to So cents the last
November.