Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-15
GRADE is WAR, OR EXPORT
FLOUR, AND Is NOT NOW
IN DEMAND.
DEMOCRATIC cAMouFLAGE
SEEN IN SO FLOUR OFFER
United States Grain Corporations
Tender Of s5 Per cent Flour in Car
Lots Seems Effort to Quiet Public
Ciamor--New Wheat Crop Flour
Below Current Flour Prices,


Of the central west that the United
States Grain Corporation would sell
flour In carload lots at SO per barrel
delivered any where west Of the Him
DIS Indiana lire to the Rocky noun
tains perhaps. held a. hint Of hope for
the reduction of the cost Of at least
one important item of food The quite
commonly known fact that this price
is $3.50 to So per barrel less than
standard flours can be bought for, de-
livered in this city. has provoked in
quiry.
When one digs into the question to
ascertain what this government foui
Is and why it is offered SO much be-
low prevailing prices for standard
brands there is strong evidence that
the offer is democratic administration
camouflage intended for home" con-
sumption in an effort to quiet the
clamor for cheaper foods.
What is This Flour?
The flour was advertised as
straight wheat flour IS per cent" To
the average newspaper reader that de-
scription means nothing. What. then,
Is this flour? In short 1t is war flour.
or export flour, which are one and the
same thing. Comparing it with stand
ard patent flours you get this: About
65 per cent of the best Of each barrel
of flour goes into standard patent
flour, the remaining IS per cent goes
into export flour, and the latter con-
tains the husks, etc.
So that, in the first place, any one
who might have had vision of buy
ing high grade flour for SO barrel
must revise his plans. What he would
receive would be war flour or export
flour. It was during the war that the
government required, for the double
purpose of saving wheat and labor.
that export flour be the standard war
flour and so it became. Few people &C
customed to white bread will now eat
war flour bread. ..,-y
How About the Price?
The governments price looks cheap
True, 1t is cheap, compared with the
price for high grade patent brands
When once the price is compared with
the other war flour prices, the price Is
not SO low.
The Times Republican has 1t on the
authority Of two reputable local whole
salers Of flour that this war flour the
government Is advertising has beer
sold in this city as low rs 80 and 9
great deal Of it at SO pei. barrel.
The reason why local wholesalers
were able to sell below the govern
ments price was this: When the wal
was over and the mills were released
from making war flour only, the pub
lie likewise wanted q better grade and
got It. Wholesalers had war flour on
hand and nobody much wanted 1t. The
jobbers sold 1t as low a. - to get rid
Of it. ,:st. : ar-~ ,f., ,#
Public. Doesn't Want War Flour.
Another detail as to price. This
government flour Is offered only
mark this-in jute sacks Of 40 pounds
(the export package) and only in car
lots. The car lot requirement elm
mates the consumer at once. II the
wholesaler buys, expecting to retail, he
must resack at an expense. which ne
will add to the price and profit be-
sides.
Tho nub Of the whole offer appears
to be: The federal wheat corporation
had the flour. which has become a
drug on the market. 1t wants to get
rid of it. The public is demanding
cheaper foods. To still the clamor
the government is offering the flour,
but 1t is not high grade flour and most
of the public does not want 1t.
If the consumers. or a majority Of
them. wanted war flour they would
- or{N h,1f
eating white flour has left no desire
with most consumers to eat low grade
flours except when they have to. The
consumer wants better -four is willing
to pay for 1t and Of course gets it.
Flour Prices Lowering. !.
That flour will be lower and that 1t
already has been bought for future de-
livery in this city at price lower than
today's price is a fact. There unques-
tionably will be lower prices for flour
in the fall unless the retailer prof.
teers. III
A local wholesaler had quoted to
him Thursday for immediate shipment
a well known brand Of high-gra pat
ent flour at 1898 per barrel, T. o. b.
city, in ninety eight pound cotton
sacks. This Is the sized packages In
which most flour Ia sold to bakers.
Most families buy flour in the forty
nine pound cotton sack.
This same dealer bought Wednesday
for, delivery after Sept. Is from the
new wheat crop the same grade OF
flour I'M ninety eight pound cotton
sacks for $11.50 per barrel, I. o. b. city.
This represents a reduction Of S1.33 a
barrel as between present prices and
prices for delivery after Sept. Is.
There are two ninety-eight pound
sacks in a barrel and four forty-nine
pound sacks. The reduction repre-
sents a lower price Of ss5 cents per