The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-10
Direct
FOOD-DUYING
ASSOCIATION
John ]. Mcerath Heads Commit
tee to Consider Possibility Of
Eliminating Retail Profits.

A movement which may result In
washlngton's having q community
buying organization. which win Do
away with the additional cost 81 fed
from the retail dealers profit BY DIAL
ing directly with the wholesale man
ufacturer, win be started tomorrow
night with q meeting OF q special
committee, with Pohn G. McGrath.
Employees Union.
The committee vii study the ques-
ton and upon its report may result
the foundation here OF community
buying agency, . developed and per-
nanent organization similar 70 the
committee which has been handling
Washington's army food deala
The committee. which win meet ct
i423 New York avenue tomorrow
night, II composed OF DIT. Luther G.
Witler. OF the Bureau OF Standards;
Mas Jessie l. Haver, Of the Consuna-
ers' League OF the District; W. ]. Ken
bricks, Of the Government Postoffice:
W r. Hood, OF the Bureau Of Educa-
ton. and J. ]. HcGrath. chairman.
Array Fosd OnIy rsnDorarx.
The people OF Washington must
remember" said Mr.. MeGFath today.
that the sale OF army food e only
temporary. We must loOk toward the
future, and find way where We can
permanently obtain food at . mini
mum cost, doing away with All profits
BY the middlemen.
This may hurt some men, buE the
percentage OF those who suffer win
Be about to 100 Of those who gain
by such . plan. The. eompittee
which meets tomorrow night - 20
study this question. what we hope
to do In Warrington IL 70 organizs
permanent buying association.
which can buy its supplies az whole
sale cost frcm the manufacturers. ana
distribute them as We now Distribute
the army food"
Mr.. McGrath called attention . z
letter he had rscslSsd, signed BY the
president ofFone or Washington's
largest commissions houses. The let
ter asked Mr.. McGrath TO help dis
pose Of q number OF barrels OF sauar-
kraut ~ cost Of the containers. and
offered Mr.. McGrath the difference On
any price he could get from the buy
erss and the cost Of the barrels. The
same house had previously asked him
to try to dispose Of q number OF
cracked" sggs.s which the commits.
sion merchants were unable 70 s4Il-
NNSt Selling for Galn.S
II want Il undsPstood,'' said Mr..
McGrath, shat I am not IN the sauer-
kraut business or the rotten egg busi-
ness or any other kind of business,
and I want Il especially understood
that the men who are selling this
army food are not selling Il for their
gaia"
The local committee on community
buying has increased its order for
army food from two carloads to four
carloads, which will be valued &C az
$4,000.
Final arrangements for handling
the increased order will be made to-
morrow. and the food Is expected TO
begin arriving ut the municipal fsh
market. central distributing point. be-
fore nightfaI.
Group orders for the food may now
be sent into the office Of Chairman =.
d. Atkinson. at the postoffee buila-
ing, and filing these orders will be
begun Immediately. Group orders
will be filled first. the individual or
ders for less than a case or similar
unit OF measure are expected to Be
few.
RgO4 AAGAe1 8oD1 ESe10ys
Groups wishing to obtain the food
should apply for their eonsignments
through the nearest community cen
ter, or make Up an order in their re-
spective division, bureau or ofncs.
Only orders from responsible repre-
Sentatives will be accepted BY the
food committee.
Printed food tickets OF from 81 to
$40 in value are expected to be In
the hands Of the committee before
tomorrow night. These tickets viii
be bought and given when the food
Is purchased. In case no food can BE-
obtained when the tickets are pre-
Sented, the money called for by the
tickets will be returned to the holder.
Places where the food tickets can be
obtained will be announced by tbs
food committee tomorrow.
II Is stated that the committee will
continue. to purchase carloads OF sur