The Washington times., 1919-08-05
MAY RESTORE
j. S. CONTROL
OF D. c. FOOD
Congress and City Executives
Consider Drastic Action to
Lower Prices Here.
BY BILL PRICE.

BY BILL PRICE.
Serious talk of food administrator
or dictator for the District OF Column
bia as a means of reducing prices and
controlling profteers was engaged in
at the Capitol and in the District
BUILDING today.
Reference was freely made to the
fact that when Clarence Wilson was
food administrator here he dominated
the situation pretty well through his
flair price, list.
whether the National Food Admin
iatration will be restored to its former
functions to aid in clutching the
threats OF profiteers everywhere is I'M
determined, with Congress and eXecu-
tive officials hesitating in their views
az to whether such a drastic step
would be as beneficial. Federal con-
troll. in the view of many people, would
seriously interfere with readjustment
Of business. But, on the other hand
there is the nationwide clamor OF the
people for relief, and all sorts of sug-
gestions being put forward
Doubt Legality of Step.
There was grave doubt among Con-
gressionai lawyers today whether a
National Food Administration could
attain its objects in peace times, and
some were of the opinion that its
legality could be attacked so that ii
would be quickly put out Of business.
Having complete control over the
District. Il Is within the power OF
Congress 70 direct the fullest sort Of
control OF prices for any and all com
modities sold within the Federal res
ervation.
rSor,y,fssfonor RrounIou uho has
had this suggested to him, said TODAY
there is no question as to Congress
authority to take the firmest sort OF
q grip over prices in Washington, out
that one Of the weaknesses OF this
control, strictly as a local measure
would be that IL might not. be ehica-
cious unless given backing from a
national administration. which form
erIy controlled foods and prices to a
considerable extent all the way from
the producer to the consumer, with
particular control over the wholesaler
through the license system. Retailers
who might be found prohteering were
threatened with having supplies shut
OF from the wholesaler, who existed
wholly through license.
Some Facts to Come Out.
when the Senate subcommittee in
vestigating living costs in the District
resumes it's sessions in a few days
there will be witnesses from the big
Chicago packing houses, who will
testify as to the prices of meats in
the District at different periods for
more than a year back. The members
Of the subcommittee and Senator
sherman himself propose strongly to
emphasize through these witnesses
that while there has been a consider
able drop in the wholesale prices of
all meats except pork products in the
last few months, there has been little
drop in retail prices.
The significant fact stood out to-
day that the packers propose TO get
from under in this phase Of the in
veetfRation. In Washington papers
the packers are advertising con-
spicuously the wholesale prices OF
beef in this city for the twelve weeks
from May 10 10 August ?. Swift
Co. for instance. show that for the
week ending May II the average
vvhoIessIe price OF beef Of all cuts
in this city was S22.s2 per 100 pounds.
For the week ending August % the
average price per 100 pounds was
STA. a drop Of more than IS per
hundred, or more than 5 cents a
pound.
Packers 70 Pass the Blame.
The other packers are preparing
70 present the same sort Of figures
as the demand of the Senate commit
tee. The packers, it is clearly seen,
do not propose to take the blame be-
cause retail meat prices have not
dropped in proportion TO the fall in
wholesale prices
All tn etestimony so far gathered
nv the Senate committee has been
for the purpose OF showing that
1vhen meats or other commodities
DO fall by wholesale. the consumer
Gets little of the benefits except
through large chain stores that may
divide with the public.
Exactly the same charge is made
heYore the committee as to vege-
tsbIes and country produce coming
- washington. The retail prices
srs 6xed at the beginning Of the
Lesson when vegetables are often
hT1b hut when vegetables come on
Ere market plentifUlly and sell
,ybolesale far below the early prices,
,be public Is compelled to pay al
most as much as when the supplies
we're scarce and prices out Of sight
Labor Need Jumps Prices.
E.5Iure of nearby truck farmers
who. supply the Washington markets
% obfain labor this year has immense.
Iv curtaiIed the production Of yegc-
fsbIes and fruits, but experts Of the
committee are OF the conclusion mat
there has been prohteering Of the
worst sort.
The business Is seproftable that
hundreds Of hucksters make small
fortunes in a few months Of the sum
1ner on little investment beyond
horse and wagon. The farmer works
for many months 70 produce the crops |
and his profits are nothing compared |
20 those Of the men who turn over
in one day huge profits on a shoe
string.
There is no District law that can
lay its hand on excessive prohteering'
and members Of Congress today were
studying this phase with unusual
care.