Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-14

War to proceed Immediately to sell
$120, 100000 worth of surplus food
stuffs. so as to relieve the present
high cost of living.
1t had been brought out at the
hearing that Secretary Baker had
declined to sell canned goods in this
country because he feared that the
placing on the market of the sur
plus would depreciate prices and
cause a number of failures among
small businessmen. The hearing
also developed that bacon and ham
had spoiled because it had been
held in unsuitable warehouses in
Norfolk and Baltimore.
Intolerably High
L believe that the excessively high
cost of living has fingered entirely
too long after the emergency of war
conditions has passed." said Mr.. Up
shaw, "and that the holding of vast
quantities of surplus foodstuffs by
the Government in the face of this
condition is inexcusable.
Prices persist in remaining stub
bornly and intolerably high. Meat
and bread are not scarce in this
country, but they are higher than
they have been for a generation. 1
believe that the first duty of the
government is to take prompt and
vigorous action in an honest effort
to relieve the necessities of millions
OF consumers, who have borne with
unmurmuring loyalty the rapid ad-
vance of the necessities of life, ac-
cepting with all good faith the state
ment that 1t was necessary in order
to feed the Army and the starving
in Europe.
However worthy may have been
the purpose of the Government to
hold this enormous amount of food
TO prevent a hurtful collapse in
prices, 1t seems to me that that policy
mas lasted long enough, and in the
speedy solution of this problem the
Government should proceed on the
fundamental doctrine of the greatest
good to the greatest number The
manufacturers and distributors
should be considered, but the con-
sumers should receive first consider
alton"
Up! Up!! Up!!
Appended herewith are some
Philadelphia prices compared and
Harrisburg dealer says they are
about the same as the prices here
with a few exceptions.
III there Is any reason for this ter
rifle jump of food prices it is be-
lieved the Government should explain
to the people so that they may know
the conditions which cause the bur-
densome cost of living for all classes,
With the raising of the embargo
against shipments to Germany on
Saturday it is probable that prices
may go even higher. Not only food
stuffs are rising, but many other
things which the people must have.
One of the large dealers in hides In
Harrisburg l..
creasing cost of hides would probab-
ly follow before the end of the year
big jump in the already high price
of shoes.
From Bad to Worse
A Harrisburger writing to the Tel
egraph says: The profits in some
lines of trade are unconscionable.
! Three instances have come under my
personal observations" He then mem
tions the fact that local dealers
were adding a profit of 100 and nearly
zoo per cent. on certain melons, the
prices jumping in one case from 121s
cents to rs and 35 cents. He also pro-
tests that the prices of shoes are
unreasonable and declares in one
case that the retailer had added over
100 per cent. to the price charged
by the manufacturer.
The big crops now being gathered
throughout the country had encour-
aged the consumer to believe that
some relief was in sight, but each
day seems to make a bad situation
worse.
Fresh Meat On Sale
The Bureau of Surplus Government
Supplies has just issued bulletin
offering for sale under the regula-
tions indicated by the foregoing
statement thousands of packages of
soda crackers, ginger and soda, fresh
frozen beef, to the extent of 0,000,-
900 pounds at Chicago, fresh frozen
poultry in lots of 5000 pounds or
| more. fresh frozen mutton In 5000
pounds or more and other foodstuffs
in like quantity.