The Washington times., 1919-10-20
D. c. .PROF|TEER|NG
FOUND BY PROBERS
tcontinued from Page Thirteen.)

tContlnued from rage Inlrteen-J
and purchasers so as to enable them
TO reach each other directly.
at seems to be a matter that will
continue to rest in the decision of the
producer and the consumer beyond
me reach of legislation alone, the
report states, in referring TO the ef-
forts made so far,fo bring the con-
sunner and the producer into direct
comm anicaffcn so as to avoid the in
.ervsation of intermediary agencies
commonly designated as middle
mer."
Up To sPubIie Opinion,
~PubIic opinion is the only means
ey which the change can be effected
in all probability" the report goes on
to say. q The charges OF middlemen
and their methods OF doing business
nav be The subjects of remedial legis-
Iatioa with resulting benefit, but the
voluntary arrangements by which a
producer chooses to dispose Of his
products cannot be forbidden by leg
islation-
aThe only remedy is better way
as substitute which will on its mer-
its be adopted by the producer and
consumer both. Publicity by assocta-
tions Of consumers and an attempt to
L
body OF. consumers together may be
promoted through the postofice, mo-
tor truck delivery and advertising.
The parcels post is an agency which
admits of much more general use
for this purpose than at present en-
ployed. The committee urges upon
the public who wish to dispense with
the great number adding to their
charges for the intervening handling
n ~
.ty. This rests in the public initfa-
tive, The producer, We have no doubt
would sell directly to such customers
IL itfwere made attractive to him He
viii not now take the time and trou-
5ie With the resulting expShse of
searching out and meeting the wants
Of the retail consumer"
Urge Infermation Bureau.
In keeping with this proposal. the
committee recommended to the Bl
reau of Markets the creation OF an
information bureau. 1t would be
among the duties OF this bureau 20
gather figures from all parts OF the
country showing what the farmers
are receiving for their commodities
These figures would be published in
a. convenient and intelligent mao
ner and distributed among the city
vomeD'B clubs the labor unions, the
farmers organizations and through
the medium of the daily press,
The ercommittee lays more particu-
lar stress upon the advisability as
we'll a. upon the necessity of develop
Ing and strengthening the system Of
cooperative marketing and purchas-
ing by consumers. There was no
testimony offered antagonistic to the
cooperative system" the report
stated
A bill BY Senator Capper of Kansas
q member OF the investigating COM
mittee. providing for the estabiish-1
rpent of such q system, has been m
trodueed In the Senate 1t, undoubt-
edly,. win be considered by the Dis
trict.- committee in the framing OF
any remedial legislation.
In the Independent investigation
conducted by the committee II was
pointed out by observers that a union
or anaigamation Of the cooperative
2EeneteS now In existence would
enAbho them to effect still grea.sr
scoaomies IN purchasing. and to de-
veiop distPibution system which
would eliminate most OF the defects
of the ee-eperatfve plan as II IL now
worked out" the report states
0thers Favorable to Pfan-
The report points out that in ad-
diuon to consumers, market-men and
others who testified in support of
the cooperative idea, the following
officials strongly recommended A.:
DR.. William z. Mosher, OF the Joint
salaries, DIR. Royal Meeker. chief 81
the Bureau OF Labor Statistics; Dr.
w. Carson Ryan, president of Local
No. 2. Federal Employees Union; Wal
Ter Y. Durand, of the Federal Trade
Commission: e. A. Calvin, OF the Cot
ton States Official Advisory Market
ing Board; Benjamin c. Marsh, of
the Farmers National Council; Ed
ward J. Ward. of the Bureau of Edu-
cation and others