The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-09-12
PAGE THREE

The report, it is believed, will be along
similar lines to others which have
been sent in from neighboring sections
in this part of the state.
According to reports received by the
attorney generals Office at Columbus
the main reason for high cost seems
to result from the fact that quantities
of poultry and dairy products, thou
sands of pounds of poultry and butter
and thousands of eggs are shipped to
eastern markets for storage or direct
sale to consumers, while Ohio counties
suffer with high prices.
In some counties the reason as
signed is inadequacy of market fa-
cilities, leading to-, the conclusion
that one step in the warfare against
living costs should be improvement
of the markets in the county seats
of those territories which lead in pro-
duction.
Food production generally in Ohio
has not kept pace wholly with in
creased demands of consumers, de-
creased population being marked in
certain spots on the state map.
Important among the reasons as
signed are the migration of young
men from the farms of Ohio to in
dustrial centers and lessening Of the
productivity per person by shorten
ing of the hours OF labor
The above are outstanding points
among deductions drawn from an
analysis of reports received at the
office of the attorney general, in re-
sponse to the departments state wide
canvass Of county prosecutors re-
garding the underlying causes for the
abnormal scale of living costs, and
of reports of grand juries in counties
where juries were impaneled specially
to study the living problem.
A general survey of the reports in
dicates almost unanimous opinion
that publicity and public opinion are
the greatest weapons the consumer
has in trying to maintain fair prices.
Emphasized in numbers of the re-
ports are those other reasons as
signed as contributing to the existing
situation, some of them applying to
Ohio conditions generally, others hav-
ing local application:
Inadequacy Of transportation facil-
tiles, particularly as to coal and grain
and delays ruinous to perishable food
stuffs.
Storage of eggs, butter, poultry and
meats for purposes of maintaining
high prices.
Illegal combination to maintain
prices and proftering by SPECTATORS.
Indicative of the absorbed interest
with which all parts Of the state are
considering the problem is the gen.
eral response of prosecuting attorneys
to the call of the state for action and
for reports detailing local information.
In those counties in. which special
grand juries have not been called,
points in connection with the food
price war will be considered by juries
meeting regularly this month and
near the first of October.
Special grand juries have been in
session in Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Frank
lin, Lucas, Greene, Huron, Clinton,
Seneca, Marion, Auglaize, Putnam and
one or two other counties.
1t is believed by the attorney gen.
erals department that conditions
found in these counties and in others,
as reported by prosecutors, indicates
the general Ohio situation, leading to
the deductions already stated.
Greene county reports that the num-
ber of producers of fruits and vege-
tables has greatly decreased in recent
years, and that production would be
encouraged by providing market facil-
tiles at the county seat, Xenia.
Greene county is a leader among
!: producers of poultry and eggs. Yet
thousands of poultry and thousands Of
dozens of eggs go from Greene county
to New York.
The prosecutor of Pickaway county
reports that one concern of that coun-
! ty has eggs, butter and poultry in
storage in New York city and in Wor-
cester, Mass.
The report from Allen county states
that hundreds of thousands of eggs
and millions of pounds of butter, in
addition to huge amount of poultry,
are shipped to eastern markets for
cold storage OF consumers. The
shippers receive daily quotations of
New York prices, and it is asserted
local prices are based on the New
York prices.
The grand jury of Clinton county
reported the chief cause of high
prices seemed to be reduction in
the number Of producers while the
number of consumers has increased
and that labor such as is employed
by farmers and truck gardeners is
scarce and high priced.
Seneca county reports a general
shortage of foodstutfs partly at
tributed to scarcity of labor and
shortening of the hours of labor. An
other factor is held to be poor freight
and express service" The attorney
generals office says the complaint
against railroad and express service
is reiterated in many Of the reports,
and that shortage of railroad cars is
hindering transportation.
The prosecutor of Pickaway county
reports one firm that accumulated
100000 bushels of wheat in an ele-
vator for want of cars in which to
ship it.
The reports quoted are declared to
be typical and the general conclusions
referred to and are asserted to be
warranted by analysis of the results.
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