New-York tribune., 1919-08-29
Sales
In City Cutting g
Cost of Living
Federal Administrators Re-.
ports Retail Dealers Are
Cooperating in Plan to
Provide. Cheaper Staples
Butchers Reduce Prices
Agreement OH Margins To
Be Charged by Jobbers
Is Fixed at Conference

A movement of retail dealers throurh
out the city to aid in the fight on LIVING
cost by offering certain commodities at
especially low prices is under way, Ar
thur Williams. Federal Food Admins
traitor, announced yesterday.
Mr.. Williams declared this tendency
was first reported to him by his in
spcctors, and he decided to make per
sonal canvass He toured virtually
every section Of the city, he said, and
found store windows everywhere
marked with announcements of Especial
sales" This accords with the plan
suggested at the recent meeting of the
subcommittee on drygoods, clothing
and shoes. This plan provides for
carrying a line of low priced goods,
sold ut the smallest of margins, by each
dealer.
"lt was gratifying" Mr.: Williams
said, "to note the effect of our cam
peign. In drygoods stores l saw shirts
OH which prices had been cut in half
Grocery and butcher stores also were
plastered with signs announcing the
sale of goods at prices considerably
below our fair prices"
Butchers Cut Prices
Mr.. Williams said reports reached d
him through the day that butchers,
after learning of the margins adopted,
reduced their prices to meet them. He
cited one butcher, Philip Bcckman. of
692 Ninth Avenue, who made the 'fol-
lowing price reductions to conform
with the new margins: Chuck steak, 9
cents a pound; WI ole rib. cents
crosscut rib. cents; stew beef. 4
cents rib lamb chops, 3 cents.
Reasons for the present high prices
of butter, eggs and cheese will be
sifted by the fair price committee, Mr..
Williams announced. He said this
would be taken up with wholesale deal
ers next week.
At a conference between a committee
representing the New York Wholesale
Grocers' Association and Mr.. Williams
yesterday, maximum fair price marg ms
to be charged by wholesalers were fixed.
Margins for beans, tomatoes, corn, peas,
salmon and milk were reduced about
onchalf cent a pound or can from the
war time margins, while no changes
were made in the margins for rice,
cornmeal, sugar, oats, flour and lard.
Margins Subject to Revision
The margins were submitted with
the understanding that they could be
revised after being reviewed by the
Federal authorities. The margins in
peas, l to | Il cents a pound; oats,
sugar and cornmcal, Il cent a pound; !;
canned tomatoes, corn and peas, IL
cents; salmon, ia cents; -four, l 3
cent; evaporated milk, 6-ounce can,
"a cent; l6-ounce can, l cent; lard,
2 to 21s cents.
The committee of wholesalers in
cludcd Philip G. Stab, of koenig 4
Schuster; Howard L. Sills, of John 5.
Sils & Sons; Arthur p Williams, of
r. c. Williams G. Co., and Charles II
Bogcl, of W. B. A. Jurgens.
Mr.. Williams yesterday addressed a
letter to the raisin growers asking
them to make plain their reasons for
the 100 per cent increase in the raisin
price. He said he will inquire into
the price making machinery of other
commodities which advance with alb
normal rapidity.
According to the Federal food ad
minstrator the names Of the sub-com-
mittecs to work out the solution of
the problems brought about by the
high cost Of living will be announced
shortly. He said Michael NJ Fried
sam, chairman OF the sub committee
on drygoods, clothing and shoes, is
busily engaged mastering other sub
committees to take np the trades which
L.
Public Habits Criticised
Mr.. Friedsam, in discussing the re-
laton of the new tastes Of the public
and the high cost of living, said
ut is undenable that, owing to ab-
normal conditions created by the war,
many persons cultivated eXtravagant
tastes. Notwithstanding the efforts of
many stores to carry staple wearing
apparel to suit the purse of the aver
age person, q large portion of the buy
ing public, instead of selecting a gar
ment of lesser price, demands a par
ticular style of shoe or garment, no
matter what the condition of the
times. The new and more stylish gar
ments are selling to the average people
better than ever before.
"There is evidently no attempt at
conservation, and no substantial reduc-
tion in the demands Of even the poorer
class of people for the finer grade of
merchandise. To use we'll known
slogan, they want what they want
when they want it, and do not concern
themselves about the price. This in
prices.
Moderate Styles Advocated
"lf people can1ot afford to make
large expenditures they should be sat
ished with moderate style of garment
or other wearing apparel. Merchandise
of this character is being supplied at II
very reasonable price, and the market
therefor is freely provided. A material
change would be effected in the present
situation and the public at large bene-
fitted if the average person would cut
the cloth to fit the garment"
Many OF the evils which have been
contributing to high prices have been
removed as a result OF the present
campaign of Federal, state and munich
pal officials. Assistant United States
Attorney Matthews declared yesterday.
He declared the following results have
been obtained by those working for a
lower living cost:
/. Sugar profiteering virtually has
been eliminated. The fixing of fair
retail price of II cents and the wari-
ness of housewives in refusing to pay
more has brought about this favorable
result.
9. Flaerant boarding for sneculation