The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-01-17
SET PRICES CALLED OFF
Administrator Bullamore Says 7 h a
Fixed Prices Are An Impossibility
without ''Cash and Carry Plan
Stormy Session Precedes Vote.

The attempt of Food Administrator
Bullamore for the Wisconsin State Food
Administration, to fix prices on food
stuffsc in Kenosha, came to an abrupt
halt Monday night when the grocers
and butchers of the city voted by COM
Portable majorities to ignore the sug-
gestion Of the administrator as to
charges for delivery and for the exten-
sion of credit and to continue business
on the methods used in the past. Food
Administrator Bullamore held that the
rejection Of part Of the plan made the
remainder an impossibility and all set
prices were called off this morning. 1t
is expected that he will take up the
matter Immediately with the State
Food Administration and that added
pressure may be brought to bear upon
the merchants in the near future.
Dealers Have Stormy Session.
1t was stormy session begin
ming to end. There was ; on in
the ranks of the sixty butchers and
grocers present as to the ACCESSIBILITY
of refusing or accepting the leash and
carry" plan although all seemed agreed
that the prices set by the food admin
istration, with few minor exceptions,
were fair both to the butchers and to
the grocers. This division in the ranks
was shown in the discussion among
themselves which was held by the deal
ers before Administrator Bullam0re
was asked" at late hour to take
part in the deliberations of the body
After arguing in a circle on the matter
for more than hour, Secretary Mad
dock, who was presiding at the meet
ing, called short recess in order that
the dealers might informally discuss
the question among themselves.
Fur Begins to Fly
The fur began to fly in the meeting
when at the end of the recess Admins
traitor Bullamore was invited to meet
with the dealers. Due to a misunder-
startling as to the earlier action of the
meeting Mr.. Bullamore took the atti-
tude that the grocers had already re-.
fused to cooperate and had voted
down the proposition without giving
the administration chance for hear
ing. He explained as his attitude that
it was an unpatriotic measure to refuse
the request made by the state food adj
ministrator without giving him a
chance to show the state food admin
istration s side of the question and de-
clared that "cash and carry" system
was the only one which he had the
authority to endorse. He held out
obdurately for the "whole loaf y
but offered to investigate any half
way measures which might be passed
by the dealers,
The food administrator took partic-
ular exception to the statement in
Mondays paper that the "cash and
carry'' system would fix an added bur-
den upon the public and demanded in no
uncertain terms that Secretary Maddox
either "4ish or cut bait
Dealers Defend Stand.
In answering the attack of Mr.. Bull
lamore, Secretary Maddox and sew
eral of the dealers stated that from
their point of view the adoption of
"cash and carry" was not an entirely
patriotic measure. All held that if
they should see that it was essential to
the safety of the country, they would
fall in with the plan and let the cost
fall where it would. They pointed out.
however, that charges for delivery and
for credit would not eliminate the
overhead materially, according to their
belief, and that they could see moth
ing but failure in store for the plan.
The old DOGGY of the "chain stores =
figured largely in the discussion of the
project and many merchants held that
adopting the system would be merely
"playing into the hands" of their
common competitor. The discussion De-
came so spirited at times that the deal
ers resorted to personal criticism and
Secretary Maddox was forced to
use the gavel to restore order.
Butchers Vote IS to s.
Because of the difference in the
problems presenting the butchers from
those of the grocers, it was finally
agreed that the body should not act as
a whole and the butchers elected to
take action first. All attempts on the
part of the butchers to secure com
K promise agreement with Administrator
Bullamore for one free delivery and
no charge for credit were futile and
the Question was finally bought to a
crisis by the putting of motion that
the butchers ignore. the cash and
carry idea and conduct business as in
the past except with such regulations
as they may make hereafter The