The Washington herald., 1919-07-09
CONGRESS TO CURB
FOOD PR0FITEERS,
SHERMAN PROMISES

FOOD PROFITEERS,
SHERMAN PROMISES
CONTINUED PROM PAGE ONE q
diers and Sailors Club Of George
town Will cooperate with the asso.
eiation he represents In bringing
about conditions equitable alike to
consumers and dealers.
Comnena The Herald
A communication has been re-
ceived by The Washington Herald
from this club. signed by William
A. Hickey. commander. and Ernest
Brunner. secretary. 1T says;
Realizing the good work The Her
aid has been doing In the cause OF
humanity. we, the Representatives OF
the Soldiers and Sailors Club. form
erly the Army and Navy Veterans.
made up OF the Nation, do highly
commend the work The Washington
Herald is doing in bringing to the
attention OF the citizens OF Washing
ton the fact that in Georgetown the
prices OF domestic products are
cheaper than elsewhere In the city.
and we further commend the efforts
OF Col Macintosh and the Civic Bet
termeet Association along the same
lines
On the House side of the Capitol the
food quotations given yesterday caused
wide comment and the opinion was
freely expressed that such conditions
as those presented should be remedied
by the interposition OF the strong arm
Of the Law.
Expose Caased slump.
II was noted by food price investi-
gators that following the publication
in The Herald yesterday of the
charges that a secret combine Is ap-
parently fixing food prices here. there
was a decided slump in the prices ot
vegetables and other foodstu1. To-
matoes, for instance. that sold whole
sale at y7.5o to s. a box on Monday.
went down the toboggan slide TO "
and $50 a box. There also was q
noticeable decline in meat prices.
Retail dealers blamed the high
prices FOR foodstuffs on the commits
sion men. one dealer said the re-
tailers were seemingly in the grasp
Of a combine, and expressed the hope
that Congress would thoroughly in-
vestieate the middlemen and their
methods.
Testifying before the special House
committee on expenditures IN the
War Department. yesterday. c. W.
/ Hare. director of sales for the de-
/ partment. admitted that preference
is being shown Washington over 9th
er big cities in the matter Of bring
ing here excess army supplies OF
meat.
Experiment, He Says.
He explained, however. that the dis
elimination in favor OF Washington
is due to the fact that the freight
does not have 10 be paid by the con-
sumers. He said the District Com
lmissioners have guaranteed the pay
ment OF the normal value Of the first
carload at 50 per cent OF the normal
price within ten days. Hare also as
serted that the bringing here Of the
government meat is in the nature
OF an experiment
Millions OF pounds OF meat and
canned vegetables held by the War
Department are deteriorsting. while
the American people need every
ounce of food" said Hare.
This food. he said. consists of 7s.OOo.-
COO pounds or bacon: $4,000 pounds OF
ham: SS0yeoo0oc worth Of canned
meats: 800. 10000 worth Of canned
vegetables.
HaIf-Hearted Efforts
II was held for months. he testi-
fed. while War Department officers
were trying to figure out If il was
. more than the army needed. and could
be sold. When sale was finally de-
terminedebn. Hare declared. only half
hearted efforts were made, ard there
were few bidders.
The food was sold to the govern
ment by the packers. Hare said
who refuse to take it back at q
decent price" Now the rapid de-
/ terioration of the foodstuffs will
| force a sale of them below cost. he
! testified. Efforts to sell the food
| to Herbert Hoover for distribution
TO starving Europeans failed. and
attempts to export IL were ursuc-
cessful.
Conferred with Gamers.
Present plans are to market
most of it in this country. Hare
| said, where there is need for every
( ounce"
Hare admitted that at one time
Gamers conferred with War De-
partment officials who agreed tc
keep millions of cans OF vegetables
off the market. adding them to the
regular army ration after the armi-
stice. He said it was a fair in
ferences that these vegetables were
added to the ration to protect can
ners from competition, and not be.