The Washington times., 1919-08-23
FOOD LEAGUE
FORMED HERE
TOCUTH. c. |.
Direct Buying Urged Upon Con-
sumers to Avoid Paying Mid
dIeman'S Profits.

reaching and important steps yet
taken in the attempt to meet the
high price Of foodstuffs in the Dis
triet was the organization last night
Of a food buying and distributing
league, at q meeting in the District
Building, Of forty representatives Of
labor organizations, civic and oco-
nomic societies in Washington.
The purpose Of the organization, Il
was stated, is to devote itself 20 the
purchase and distribution Of house
hold commodities to the citizens Of
Washington and adjoining counties.
According to provisions Of the .:',Iati.
tuition, which was adopted last night.
persons eligible to membership WiIl
be residents Of Washington ard ad.
joining territory with the sxcepticn
OF persons engaged in the handling
of household commodities"
VIII Beneht Consumer.
The ultimate aim of the league Is
to handle as far as possible the food
distributing business in Washington
"for the beneft Of the consumer"
It was stated at the beginning OF
the meeting by E. D. Atkinson, chair
man of the committee of fifteen. that
middleman by distributing food di-
rectly from the producer to the con-
sumer.
The membership of the league will
consist OF all eligible persons who
will pay an entrance fee Of IS. which
will entitle them to all the benefits
OF the organization, including the
right to purchase the food placed on
sale at the distributing points that
the league will designate.
B. w. Payne, OF the Central Labor
Union, acted as chairman OF the
meeting and A. z. Cole. OF the Fed
eraI Employees Union. was the tenn
porary chairman. The organization
Citizens Buying and Distributing
League Of Washington. D. c.
Next Meeting wednesday.
The second meeting OF the league
will be held next Wednesday night
in the board room OF the District
building. at which time the election
Of officers and a central committee
OF sixteen will be held.
John G.. McGrath was nominated
last night for the presidency. Nomi-
nation. il was announced, for officers
will be received by the secretary
until Wednesday night.
4 motion to confine the activities
Of the league to the Government de-
partments was voted down last night.
The central committee Of the
league, according to the constitution,
will be made up Of four members
elected for three months. four mem
bers elected for six months, four
members elected for nine months and
four members elected for twelve
months.
Depends On Cooperation.
The success Of the movement to es-
tablish a system Of cooperative buy
ing and distributing Of food in the
District, depends. il was explained to-
day, on the cooperation a5d support
OF all OF the civic and labor organi8a-
tions OF the city and Of the people Of
Washington interested in reducing
the high price OF foodstuffs.
Cooperative buying and selling, II
was pointed out, Is not a new thing.
1t has been tried in other countries,
particularly in England, and has met
with satisfactory success.
To SCimplify Distribution.
The plan is to eliminate the null
tiplicity of distribution points, and,
at the same time, put the control Of
stuffs in the hands Of the consumer,
f. D. Atkinson, chairman of the com
mittee of fifteen, and an active
worker in the cooperative movement,
explained today
The commercial organization is the
system after which we should pat
term" said Mr.. Atkinson, but the
commercial organization is founded
for profits primarily. while we are
interested in getting the goods Of the
consumers table as cheaply as posi-
BILE.
object to Big Profits.
"A very large part Of the price of
any commodity consists in the labor
cost that enters into the production
Of that commodity, but the consumer
does not object. however, to paying the
numerous .-lFits that accrue in the
pro- 'rs from thc production stage to
the .nIg' ~ sumption.
"W expect lo cooperate in every
way -ossIble 18th the cooperative
stores that The various Government
department are now trying TO estab-
lish. II saCt these stores can greatly
serve tn purposes %. the league until
the league is th0~gGa hly established
on a wOrk k..r bass. he distribution
of goods, however, - rot an Occupa-
tional matte. bat ratEer geographi- |
cal matter. and for hat reason the
Government cooperative stores may
rot answer, en..rsiy sa .siactoriIY, the |
rec ds of the people Cf be District"
May EstNbiish stores.
In explaining 'rs plans Of the |
league, II was ssis tHrt community |
stores in variou, parts cs the city |
would probably be es'F blis he'd, but |
for the time being .E -,as probable !
that the communit! Isnf.-s would be |
enlisted TO handle the H.'rt Of the |
league.
Z. D. Atkinson said thS, 'Se distri-
button OF surplus army soua through /
the community ecnters hJi -ssrlted |
in considerable confusion o-C-ure n |
the fact that the centD-s r.re not /
adequately equipped to handle the !
business.
Want 5000 Members-
Certificates OF membership IN the /
Cooperative Buying and Selling /
League of Washington, D. C., are now }