The Washington times., 1919-11-21
TO CUT
MILK PRICE
Fair List Committee Rules
Twenty Cents for Quart
Bottle Is Excessive.

the price of milk in Washington was
taken today when the Fair Price Com
mittee, of which Clarence r. Wilson.
local Food Administrator, is chairman.
ruled that price Of 9 cents q pint
and is cents q quart for bottled, pas
tuerized milk, sold by retailers and
groceries, is excessive.
United States District Attorney John
E. Laskey, who was present at the
meeting yesterday Afternoon. of the
fair price body when the resolutions
were passed, has stated that all re-
tail dealers and grocery store proprie-
tors who sell milk in excess of o
cents a pint and IS cents a quart will
be investigated with the view of
being defendants in ultimate prosecu-
tions for violation of the anti-prof-
iteering laws now in effect.
Dr. William c. Fowler. Health Of
ficer for the District, a member of the
Fair Price COMMITTEES, who has been
makins a fight against the high
prices of milk in Washington for
some time. today sent out inspectors
from the Health Department to deter
mine the identity of all retailers and
grocerymen who are selling milk in
excess of the prices named.
VIII Enforce Ruling.
He said this morning the Health
Department will enforce the ruling
of the Fair Price Committee to its
fullest extent. This enforcement will
take the form of a detailed report to
the United States District Attorney
of all dealers selling milk in excess
of the fair price set.
AS the prices for milk sold in bottle
form by retailers and grocerymen In
Washington exceed in the majority OF
cases the prices named as fair, mum
her of prosecutions for violation OF
the anti-profiteering laws are expect
ed to follow the action taken by mem
hers of the fair price committee.
Within a short time, II was authori-
tstively stated today, test cases to
prove the legality OF what amounts
practically to price-fxing of milk in
Washington, will come up In the Dis
trict courts.
1t was made plain this morning that
tho ruling of the fair price bcdy yes
terday kill apply only to retailers
and grocerymen who deal in milk as a
side issue, The-restauraats selling
milk by the Rlass and the dairies
which deliver milk to homes in the
city are in nowise affected by the ac-
tion.
Twenty Cents Usual Price.
Ten cents pint for bottled milk
and 20 cents quart is the usual price
charged by groceries and retail deal
ers in Washington today. The milk is
sold for 8 cents a pint and Is cents a
quart, however. delivered in the home,
by the majority of dairies.
Dr. Fowler this morning said that
the ultimate aim OF the fair price
body was to bring the price of milk
RI N rs Ut "A ei
All complaints of milk sold in ex-
cess OF the price named today by the
fair price committee. IL mailed to the
office Of Clarence r. Wilson. food ad-
ministrator. Department Of Justice
will receive the immediate attention
o. United States District Attorney
John E. Laskey.
Meat dealers in Washington will be
required within a short time to post
in their stores prices paid for beef on
the scale of what it costs them by
the side" or carcass. At the same
time. the Fair Price Committees sub
considered a fair margin OF profit for
the dealers who buy beef by the car
cass or side and sell ii by the cut.
The tentative margin of profit which
has been fixed at this time is 331-a
per cent on the purchase price of a
side or carcass of beef.
The publication of the fair margin
Of profit on meats, however, will be
the only attempt at price fixing in
Washington. No other fair price lists
on any other commodities will be sub
mitted for publication, although some
thing in the form of lists of fai,
prices will be kept on hand for data
by the different subcommittee.
Shoe Price Fixing.
The committee on shoes. composed
of Mrs. Charles S. Hamlin. JOSEPH
Strasburger and Ed. d. Atkinson, has
adopted a somewhat novel method fou
| controlling profiteering in foot wear
At present Mr.. Atkinson, a skilled &C.
countant, is going through the book.
of three typical shoe stores in Wash
I Incton. one of them located on /
street in the heart of the shopping dis
trfct. one in Georgetown and the other
i'm northeast Washington.
From his survey of the ledgers. data
will re compiled showing the cost oi
! running shoe store. At the same
| time wholesale dealers who ship foot
wear TO Washington have been re.
ouested to send information regarding
prices and sales of shoes to Washing
/ ton merchants within the last six
months.
In the mean time one man or WON.
| an from each Government Department
| Is TO be appointed, who will in turn
appoint a committee of men and WON
en- TO Investigate prices paid in Wash
ington for footwear.
steps To Prosecution.
When a member of one OF thesa
committees discovers what he alleges
to be a case OF profiteering in shoes
ne will submit the sale slip, together
with other information concerning the
purchase of the shoes, to his chat
man. who will in turn submit IT to
the subcommittee on shoes of the fa,i
price committee.
With other information at hand By
which TO draw up comparison al
the prices of maintenance OF shoe
stores and the wholesale cost Of foot.
wear. the subcommittee will deter
mine whether OF not the dealer has
been guilty OF profiteering. In cast
he has. the United states DXtrict AZ
torney will be supplied with evidence
by which to prosecute the offender.