The Washington times., 1919-08-13
SherlOcks of Senate
On Trail of
OLD H. CT.
Get Little Information
From Retailers

something IKE this:
'Srhe high cost OF living Il due 60
the prices they eharEe.r
Washington retailers on the stand
before Senator Balls subcommittee
yesterday Informed the Senators:
That the retailers in the city made
money last year and expected to
make money this year.
(This amazed everybody present. Of
course.)
Washington demands choice cuts
Of meat and must pay high for them
(Wild excitement).
Butchers have thrown away hun
dreds OF pounds OF corned beef and
other highly nutritious foods because
there IL no demand for them. The
butchers would gladly have taken 10
cents q pound for this meat.
(Some unsympathetic person NUT
tered that the meat would have
spoiled anyway IL II hadn't been
turned into Willie" Glares Of dis
approvaD.
Beyond learning the amount OF the
incomes Of various witnesses the COM
mittee learned nothing more than the
housewife who trudges daily to mar
ket could have informed them.
COMMITTEES Seeks Action.
With the second group Of retailers
before them today, the committee in
tends to take its gloves OF and either
tackle the problem in an entirely diff
ferent manner or cut the hearings
short. with the intention OF drafting
legislation to meet cases Of profiteer-
Ing which Government agencies can
single out for themselves.
The retailers who appeared before
Senator Balls subcommittee yester-
day were James A Head. W. +. Miller,
Lowe Counselman. I ]. Riley, I. s.
Beall. 7. r. Dewducy, g. w. thinner
man, and Norman =. Brooke. all Of
whom operate in the Center Market.
Conflicting with the testimony OF
the packer representatives last week,
the retailers asserted there IL no com
petition in Washington among the
packers. But they added that they
buy usually from AL the packing
agencies here, wherever prices are
cheapest and the Inducements good.
The retailers were unanimous in
aAo1NA
ing between dealers here to NIX prices.
Marekt Stalls Pay Same Reat.
The committee did learn to its salts
faction, however, that the rent Of
market stalls in Center Market have
not been increased during the past
year, and that me only added ex-
penses on retailers comes from in
=
Some Of the witnesses testified that |
they paid a 'little more" for meats
this year than they paid last year. |
This appeared illuminating until 9TH |
ers testified that they paid = little |
less this year than last
All agreed. however, that the con-
sumner himself is to blame for high |
prices, because of the expensiveness |
Of his taste. Norman 3. Brooke, one /
of the witnesses, told the committee
L was enough to insult" a customer
even to suggest plate beef, which he
said is highly nutritious, but very
cheap.
''The reason for this high cost OF
living" he said. ais because every
body wants something high and
doesn't want anything cheap" He
old the committee that he threw
away 500 pounds of corned beef last
week because he couldn't find any
for it at 10 cents q pound
Enjoy Coed Incomes.
The committee seemed very inter
,sted in the profits the retailer makes.
lowe Counselman said his income.
Lbove all expenses. was about $500
asst year. I. J. Riley, who does q cash
realized a net profit OF $1,000
asst year, and expects ''to do q little
more business this year. T. R Dew
lucy said his income was somewhere
'etween $4,000 and $1,000. He told the
committee he 'imagines prices are
bout the same as last year. for the
neat he purchases to sell over the
COUNTER. He complained that the re-
alters are mot making as much
money In the retail business as people
hink." Mr.. Brooke, q jobber, did a
Tolume Of business amounting to
10000 last year, on which he made
net proft OF only $4,000
Public Refuses Education.
Senator Dial of South Carolina asked
he retailers IL it would not be posi-
lie to educate" the public to q sys-
EN- Of regular deliveries at stated
'eriods, but was informed that 1t Is
impossible to educate the public to
o anything" The dealers agreed that
UGH a system would greatly facilitate
Kings for them, but people wanted
heir beefSteaks in q hurry, and il was
p to them to make deliveries as
uickly as poSsible
Wholesale prices OF high class meats
re a little higher now than six
lonths ago, the committee was told.
nough the packers testified that all !
eef is selling at slightly reduced |
ates.
Cant you suggest how to reduce I
rices to the consumer" asked Sena- |
Or Dial OF Mr.. Counselman. Unless
re can get our stuff cheaper I don't
ee how prices ever will 90 down." |
'as the reply. {
The prices OF steaks interested the
enators. Steaks cost from IS to so |
ents a pound for the best quality;
esf from 81 to 90 cents, compared
18th 25 cents last year. Hams sell re- I
lii at AZ cents for the choicest, and (
psf from SO to IL cents. 4
Mr.. Beall told the committee he had !
, sell 100 pounds OF trimmings for 81 !
ents which had cost him SEQ because i
G couldn't ind anyone to consider I
Tying cheap meat. I
The packers get their profits be- I
IRE their meat Is sent here" he said. 7
There's no show at this end"