The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-01-10
WOULD EDUCATE the PEOPLE
Cash Prices Will Be Set for All Dealers
and Additions Will Be Made to Bills
Where Credit Is Expected and Where
Goods Are Delivered to Homes.

Fixing of prices on Kenosha's food
products has gone over, for another
week at least. Food Administrator
Henry L. Bullamore and the members
of the sFprices' committee held three
hour meeting at the Chamber of Com
merce on Friday afternoon and at the
end of the meeting the committee found
that they had some hard problems to
dispose Of before they could announce
prices which are to be charged for
staple articles of food in Kenosha.
This much was decided and that was
that the prices to be made will be
"cash and carry prices.
The cash price which is to be set for
the staples will be net to the merchant
and if credit is to be extended and de-
hveries to be made the consumer must
pay for them definite amount. This
amount is to be set between now and
the. adjourned meeting of the commit
tee with the Food Administrator which
is set for next Friday. The committee
decided that all charges should be made
at the cash price set by the committee
and that every bill sent out shall show
clearly on it the cost Of extending ere
dit and the cost OF delivery of goods.
The committee hopes not only in this
way to fix fair price for the staples
but at the same time to start : cam
paign of education Of the people so
that they will know definitely what it
costs to deliver goods and what it
costs to extend credit. The same cash
prices must be charged in all stores
in the city. The credit delivery charges
may be fixed by the dealer but it is
probable that a maximum charge will
be set by the Food Commission. This
charge will be sufficiently large to
meet the costs which the merchant
pays for his delivery system. No plan
was made to interfere with any Of the
plans for delivery of goods which may
now be in vogue but this matter will
be taken up at an early meeting of the
committee and if merchants seek it
the aid of the committee may be given
to work out the problem of deliveries
and reduce the cost of them to mini
mum.
cit was impossible for US to proceed
with the fixing of prices on Friday
said Food Administrator H. L. Bull
lahore this morning. GIVE found that
there were many things to be consider
ed but we were agreed Il at the cash
price is the one that will be fixed by
the committee. This will be governed
by wholesale costs of goods laid down
in Kenosha and to it must be added
fair margin of profit to the dealer. The
committee in the next week will in
vestigate the costs of extending credit
and the cost of deliveries and it will
demand that these costs be shown on
bills for all merchandise. IF the cost
is found to be two per cent. for extend
ing credit the bill must show two cents
added to each dollar for the cash price.
IF the delivery cost is seven per cent
seven cents must be added for each
dollar and a proportionate amount for
that this plan will educate the people
as to just what it costs them to de-
mand this kind of service from the re-
tail merchant
The possibility of the use of food
cards in Kenosha is suggested by the
Food Administrator to solve the ques-
ton of distribution of sugar. "There
is evidently an error in the statement
that patrons will be allowed from but
two to five pounds of sugar a week.
This would be an insufficient supply for
many families. It seems to me, con-
tinued Mr.. Bullamore, "that the plan
must be worked out on some other sys-
tenn. Many people have 3alled me to
ask for modification of this order and
have written to the state and national
administrations for an Interpretation of
it. Many dealers are enforcing the
order. Of course people are being in
convenienced in this manner as they
are forced to seek sugar supplies at
various stores. The sugar problem is
a very hard one and the only way that
I see to properly solveAit is by the card
system. This would allow to every
family q certain amount of sugar for
the week no matter when they bought
If or in what guanfifine +hav houuht II