The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-10
MEAT
DEALERSNEXT
IN FOOD QUIZ
Senate PrObers to Make D. c.
/ Merchants Tell Exact Figures
of Their Profits.

VI tUCu tOAtbsa
President wilson's appeal to Con-
GSess to make Washington an exam
pie TO the rest of the country in price
reduction and enforcement Of laws
against profiteering is expected to
take root in conferences between the
senate and House District OF Coium-
bio Committees early this week. Until
Senator Sherman and Congressman
Aapes, chairmen OF the committees,
return to Washington nothing can be
done.
Senator Bali, chairman Of the SEN
ate District subcommittee that Is in
vestigating the high cost Of living in
Washington, also is absent from the
city. but It is known that he is anK-
tous to seek the cooperation Of the
House committee in anything that
can be done to facilitate the inquiry
now being conducted BY HIS own COM
mittee. Senator Sherman Sc in Chi
. csgo and may not return for several
days.
auls Retailers ThIs week.
With retail meat dealers forced to
testify this week, beginning next
Tuesday, regarding the prices at
which they sell over the counter, SEN
ator Balls subcomittee 90 just begin
ming 70 realize the etent Of the task
they have undertaken. Unable TO deal
at the same time with all questions
affecting the living cost, the subcom-
mittee intends to take up each prin-
cipal commodity in its turn, tracing
the prices TO their sources. Then II
VIII turn its attention 70 the all i'm
portant rent question, after il has
found out all there Is TO be learned
about the prices Of foodstuffs. cold
storage, and other factors entering
into the meat situation.
But the Investigations are not to
end with INQUIRIES into food and rents.
There remains the exhaustive task OF
probing especially, the cost OF shoes, |
clothing and other commodities that /
ind their way into the annual family
budget. 1t is believed many weeks !
viii be required to complete the in
vsstigation alone, which would only
mean that the task is but half COM
pleted. After all the inforulation has |
been submitted the work OF sitting I
facts in order to arrive at some ded- |
mite conclusion as to remedial legisla- |
tion win be the most difficult prolem |
OF all.
Rent Question Pressing.
From the mass Of communications |
and protests which the committee has |
received, II appears that the rent oues- |
tion Is the most sensitive for WASH |
ingtonians. Urgent appeals for an
immediate remedy literally have /
sWamped the committee. Until the
food dealers have been disposed OF
however, nothing can be done in re-
gard TO rente.
Indications point 60 q serious con-
dition arising in Washington when !
the Saulsbury anti-eyiction act ex-
tended ninety days after the conclu-
sion Of peace is wiped OF the statute
books. Despite the assurances from
real estate firms that rents will go no
higher. the average tenant seems in
clined 10 reason otherwise.
Information is being prepared for
the committee tending to show that a
system of legal blackmsiI" is being |
practiced, whereby rents viii Re
forced higher during the coming year
and still be within the law
Have Retailers Pinned Down.
The subcommittee believes IL has
the retail meat dealers in a position
out OF which they cannot sQuirm.
They have learned from representa-
tives of the big i've" packers just
how much IL costs a pound to take
meat from the hoof. put it through
eli the processes and prepare ii fO-
the retailer. who buys direct from the
washington agency. Now they in
tend TO ind out why some grades o:
sirloin offered to the retailer at Is
and 30 cents q pound are sold at dou-
ble that amount by many retailers,
and three and four times that amount
by the average restaurants. The COM
mittee Is inclined to make generous
allowances for the expenses which
the retailer must meet and will pay
particular attention as to just what
part of the profit these expenses take
up.
In this connection Senator Dial Of
south Carolina. one of the committee
members makes an urgent appeal for
more cooperation on the part OF the
public IN the general endeavor to
keen prices from soaring any higher,
at any rate.
BY cooperation he believes the re-
tail merchant could be relieved OF a
Great mart Of the expense that natur-
sIIv he takes out Of the public b.
adding 10 the cost OF the product he
| ellis The question Of delivery Is just
one the items which the public de-
nands and for which the public finds
IL must pay.
Cooperative Delivery.
ia cooperative system of delivery |
rouJd be adopted by retailers. he be-
Iieves. some Of the expense, at any
rate. would be reduced. This plan,
however. would have 20 receive CO.
operation from the public. he points
out. who should learn to be satisfied
10 receive their purchases at regular
times instead OF at a specified hour
that suits best their own convenience.
Under this plan. IL q purchaser want
ed an article delivered at a specified
time. he could meet the additional I
expense out Of his own pocket, and ,
the cost OF the article would not be ,
affected because Of additional expense :
20 be met by the merchant. {
49,