The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-08
D. c. GROCERS
WILL Be PUT
ON GRILL BY
O!ROBERSNEXT

CONFIDENT the only way to get at
the root of the causes for the high
cost OF living in Washington is to
trace the course Of food commodities
from their original source through
the various processes OF their han
ding until they reach the local re-
taller, the Senate District subcom-
mittee is to begin an exhaustive in
vestigation along many lines.
Experts are to be employed who
will do research work, reporting
their recommendations to the sub
committee. These reports, along with
such information the committee may
obtain from the examination of wit
nesses,s are to form the basis of rec
concentrations to the Senate for re-
medal legislative steps TO reduce the
living costs.
Beginning next Tuesday Senator
Balls subcommittee is going to
tackle the Washington retailers.
They can't escape testifying," said
Senator Ball, because the packers
have supplied the committee with the
list of retailers to whom they supply
meats" The committee will conclude
its examination of the "big five" pack
sers this afternoon when representa-
..ives Of Morrison & Co. are to TESTIFY
concerning Washington prices.
Get Definite Information.
From representatives of Swift & Co.
yesterday. the committee obtained
some definite information which Will
be of much use in considering local
conditions. Through H. D. L Weld,
manager of Swift's department OF
commercial research, the committee
learned Just what local retail meat
dealers are paying for various cuts
OF meats. Armed with these prices,
1.-THE committee intends to learn from
retailers Just how much profit they
are making after waste and overhead
charges are deducted.
]. P. Healy. manager OF Swift d
Co. for the Baltimore district which
includes Washington, also gave the
committee valuable information con-
corning prices here. He said that OF
the 632 dealers OF fresh meat in
Washington Swift & Co. sold directly
20 400 OF them, so his range of prices
may be regarded as covering gener-
ally the wholesale prices in Wash
ington.
The expense Of killing, freighting.
selling, and insurance on 100 pounds
OF fresh meat Is only $3.50 or 21z
cents per pound, Mr.. Weld explained
TO the committee, when he began tell
ing Of the Washington market. He
had prepared a chart for the benefit
of the committee which showed the
following facts:
ended August 2, 1919. 1OO-pound basis:
Paid for live cattle. per 100 lbs. f12.73
Amount Of beef from 100 lbs, live
animal. 5S-1I lbs
Raw material cost per 100 lbs,
Expense Of killing. freight. selling. ESQ 50
Obtained for hides and by-products. s.s7
Making net cost Of dressed beef $3.50
Price actually realized in wash. 1901
Leaving net profit of............ SO11
Or Is cent profit on each pound Of beef.
Mr.. Weld said that the retailers had
a wastage of fat, bone and shrinkage
which necessarily is one of the rea-
sons for the high cost of meat to
the housewives, and declared that the
profts of Swift & Co. in Washington,
which demanded a better grade of
meat than most other cities, was only
oneSninth Of a cent per pound.
Washington retailers, he said, were
paying the following prices for major
cuts: Loin, 10 to 81 cents a pound;
round. to so cents; rib, 8 to 30 cents
chuck, s to 30 cents; plate, s to &c;
brisket, to 16 cents, and shanks,
70 IS cents.
The increase in labor and material
costs, he said. had brought the aver
age price for handling a pound Of
beef from Is cents in 1916 to IS
cents now.
Mr.. Healy submitted the following
price lists OF commodities sold to
Washington retail dealers.
Mutton and lamb averaged 1924
cents a pound last January and 21.2T
cents on August 2; poultry, 37.3S
cents in January and 36.47 cents now:
pork loins. 36.10 and 1924; eggs, 66.76
and 1877: butter, O. and So: hams,
SO and Al: bacon, 80 and ~: oleo-
margarines are selling now for 30
10 IS cents a pound.
No PIebeIan TaStes Here.
Mr.. Healy said his list did not in
clude cut sausage because his COM
pany sold very little Of them. Wash
ingtonians have no plebeiaR taste ap-
parently," he said. We've tried to
educate them to eat sausage but they
demand tongue instead. They won't
eat oleomargarine for butter, either.
And what is more" he said, turning
to Senator Sheppard, OF Texas, they
won't eat Texas beef"
There must be something wrong
with them, indeed" replied the Texas
Senator.
Mr.. Healy explained that the diff
Guilty OF supplying Washingtonians
with 1900 tongues a week, the aver
age demand upon his concern, could
5e seen readily when only 200 head
of livestock are shipped into Wash
ington a week.