The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-07-10
FACTS Being
GATHEREDON
. PROFHEERING
IN FOOD HERE
- BTE.L PRTcH

~ BILL PRICH
Until his own invsstiSatiois r.
veal the exact facts, ciarsnco j.
Wilson. District food admiristraaor.
win not Join In the general accusa-
lions that food prices u this cicy ~
higher than elsewhere, IN TIN coun-
try. and that the food profltsera ~
running Wild here IN ie6s exorbitant
profits they are making.
To some extent he regards utatIs-
tics that are Being gsfhsred e. siv-
ing little proof OF the true f9cts,
which he proposes to find out for
himself. Regarding hfrh prlcsa ~
meats IN Washingtoni he q dispos.f
70 believe that sanitary correction -
profiteers may be handed out but ha
thinks Il unfair to legitimate bust
ness men hare that The prices 81
meats should Be compared with nnnI
or large cities Of the West eloss u
where the meats are grown and pro-
pared for market
Investisntins condieionu.
The special meat> inVestiratfnr
committee appointed - him, and a.
which he II chaifhaah ana actively
at work, 10 making Its invsstfxntiona
a. fast - possible, Mr.. Wilson ~
today, and he trusts that when L Il
completed he viii be. able to take
steps that viii establish meat prizes
on q uniformly fair basis and aton
undoubted profiteering.
To compare meat prices In Wash
ingtou with those prevailing n chs
eAgo or Minneapolis or many nhaau
western towns he regards e unfair.
He points out that freight transpoft1-
ton 70 the East q costly and must -
included As TO prices In small towua
there Is 70 be considered, he said to-
day, not only the eompar2tfvely man
freight charges 70 be added 70 the
cost Of the meat itself, but tie fsc1
that labor and rent are both chaarnf
than In this city Clerks and other
employees may be obtained At wages
much below those paid here, the VA
having brought about Z scarcity ~
help In Washington that has greatly
increased wages. Overhead ehargc1
generally are much less IN the aniau
Western towns. enabling the patches
and grocer to reduce his retail prizes
Mr.. Wilson does not say that ~
prices here are down 70 what ihs7
should be. he does say, though that
prices here and In the West cEnnof -
compared with justice to Washington
business men He Il satisfied t1ot
there Is meat profiteering IN this
city: in some cases, OF the meanegt
sort and he proposes 70 set to ths
bottom OF this and give the people q
Washington what Is coming to them.
The profits OF meat dealers must b
kept within fair limitations. and -
will find plans that will do this.
Mr.. Wilson Il convinced that on gen
eral commodities, such as are listed
In his fair price tables. Washlngto1
people are paying reasonable profits
only for the things they buy, pro-
vided they keep their eyes open and
buy where they can obtain the best
prices. He knows there q proftsor-
ing, and that all sorts OF schemes are
resorted to by grocers to eFade foo4
regulations. but As fast as7possible be
is OVERLAPPING these people and maxi
ing object lessons Of them.
The vast majority Of grocers he -
lieves to be earnestly trying.-to CO
operate with him, to- keep their pref
its within bounds that viii enable
them to continue-1u business.
To Re More Drastic.
Mr.. Wilson Is determined 70 bo-
come more drastic In his treatment
OF the food proftsers and shaFpsrA
He finds that they take GdVantage Of
his patience in not wishing 70 e.
stroy a mans business II there are
circumstances He q
keeping all these fellows well cafa-
logued for future consideration. and
some day, when they least expect -
viii apply action that means putting
them out OF business and possibly N
to prison
Mr.. wilson's greatest difficulty Il
In getting the public to aid him q
sales slips and facts that
will enable him to prneeed against
these pirates People who have been
cheated and know It not only tan 70
advise him but when approached ~
ais Inspectors say that they do not
wish to make complaint or to beeouo
involved.
At times there II q pessimistie foe[
ing among Mr.. Wilson's assistants
hat the public, as declared By Bar
aum, Is happiest when being ehOr-
oughly skinned by somebody. ms
people thus treated growi among
and criticize things gen-
rally because Of high prices. bot
steadily refrain from giving the aid
necessary to making out cases
The attention Of Mr.. Wilson has
been drawn to the fact that Il q A.
most impossible to obtain pound-sizo
caves Of bread in this city. The re-
all prices fixed here, and uniformly
bout the same In the East. are 8
tents retail for Bounce loaves and 3
tents for 16-Ounce foAves-LArge fami-
les md It economical tn buy the
,ound-size bread They obtain four
ounces more bread for an additional
,ent, a saving OF money. When they
~ to get the 16-ounee loaves. how
,ver, the dealers seldom have them.
ractically all their stocks being
made up Of 12-ounce loavezs Families
rying to make their money 80 e
ar as possible nnd little satisfaetioa
n their efforts. being compelled 70
AXE the Bounce loaf at 8 cents, an
Increase OF cent over former prices.