The Delta independent., 1918-05-17
BEING MADE TO REDUCE
CORN MEAL TO CONSUMER

As a result of the meeting in Denver
last week Of the County Food Admis-
traitors, concerted effort has been
put forth to bring about reduction
in the prices of cornmeal and other
flour substitutes throughout the state
of Colorado.
While the County Food Admins
traitors were in session, the matter
was discussed with Washington in a
series of kilograms which resulted in
statement from Herbert Hoover in
Telegram as follows:
Washington. d. c.. May 9. 1918.
Stearns, Food Administrator, Denver.
Colorado: At present prices of corn
barley and oats these millers are or
should be offering meals and flours
from these grains at prices consider
ably below wheat flour in fact corn
meal should be selling from the mill
door at not over twenty-five percent
less than wheat flour and oatmeal
even less ration, while corn flour or
barley flour should be selling at not
more than ten to fifteen per cent be-
low wheat flour.
There is therefore absolutely no
justification for present price levels
in these substitutes. ! would be glad
II you would give wide publicity to
these facts. Retailers should not take
more than sixteen to twenty per cent
on the sale price for handling these
products. The wholesale maximum
margins have been fixed as per our
bulletin OF April 9Th. at not over ten
per cent in bulk therefore with these
criteria to guide you we would be glad
to have you follow up any prices
made at higher levels Where deal.
ers still have stock bought at higher
levels than these prices every step
In the chain OF retailer. wholesaler.
and miller should be prepared to jus
tify their prices. AS reasonable and
any failure TO so Justify should be rec
commended TO us for summary action
The time has now come when the
readjustment to the prices of these
grains should have taken place we are
requiring the principle corn millers tn
report to this office by telegraph.
weekly. the prices at which they pur-
chase corn and the prices at which
they are quoting products and We are
directing them to make duplicate re
ports to you. without waiting for these
reports you can take the above ap-
proximate levels as being Indicative
and instruct your county and city
agents to make a drive on the reduc-
ton of price levels which are due to
shortage in railway transport last
winter has now become in many cases
simple extortion where dealers have
paid more than present prices they
run risks OF spoilage in endeavorins
to hold material for prices at old levels
and the first loss of reducing price is
the smallest loss. Signed. HOOVER :"
While we all realize that these
prices are based on conditions further
east and cannot be made to apply in
this district. yet Mr.. Stephan, food
administrator for this county. informs
us that we may expect a reduction in
price here
The reason, however. for substitutes
being higher in proportion than wheat
flour, is due to the fact that wheat
flour is being sold here ata less price
than Is charged for II in Denver. and
that Denver sells II at a lower price
than is charged in Chicago or other
eastern points. This is due to the fact
that the price Of wheat is based upon
seaboard shipping points. and for that
reason wheat sells for less in Delta
than II does farther east and freight
must necessarily be added to the corn
or other substitutes.
H. however. only fraction of
cent per pound can be saved through
the efforts Of the food administration
1t In the aggregate saves the consumer
considerable money. and we all real.
ize that had Il not been for the food
administration, the wheat would have
been cornered by spectators and that
those who were able to purchase
wheat at this time would by paying
not less than $50 per sack.