Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-26
CROCERS MUST Be
ALERT TO FAULTS
IN MODERN TIMES
War Slapped Energies, Allow.
ing Evil Practices to Grow Up
Through General Apathy
of Retailers.

How an organization Of retail gro
GERS and butchers can assist the in
dividual merchant to meet present
day problems of business is dis
cussed in the following editorial
from "The Grocery Reporter" which
is the official organ OF the Omaha
Retail Grocers association and Re-
tail Butchers association:
ITO the grocer who is student
of his business and of conditions,
the present time presents many
problems demanding solution. II
they aret to be solved at all, it will
be throug the efforts of the think
ing, conscientious workers found in
every association. If the solutions
are long delayed, it will be because
so few members in every association
are real active, loyal workers.
War Slapped Energy.
"There is always a constructive
work for every association to do,
but at no time in history has there
been bigger, more vital problem
to carry out. The unusual condi-
tons Of the last few years have
brought these things about.
During a part of this time, little
could be done because every energy
was being bent toward winning the
war; the rest of the time evil prac-
tees have grown up merely because
OF the general apathy OF. grocers as
a class.
However, some of these practices
have now reached proportions that
demand the attention of every gro
Ger if he would continue his indie
pendent existence.
Hampered by Faults.
"Any association, however, is going
to be hampered in carrying out its
work because of faults, that seem to
be inherent in its membership. One
of the greatest difficulties, an as
, ISOLATION has to contend with. in
carrying out any constructive pro-
gram, is the lack of general knowl-
edge on the part of the grocers.
Far too many grocers keep their
noses so close to the grind stone.
that they fail to see the passing
show.
MANY do not attend association
meetings except once in a long
while, and mahy more fail to read
any trade paper. They seem to be
more interested in the sensational
stories or sport news of the daily
papers than in articles of the trade
papers that treat of their business.
"Censure should be given where
censure is due, and credit should be
given on the same basis. but it
hardly seems just that the officers of
an association should be censured
for failure to do this or that until
those officers have had the whole
hearted support of every member
of the association.
Requires United Support.
"The officers of any association can
only 20 SO far; to 60 farther re-
suuires the united support of the. as
ISOLATION. Each one would be bet
ter off if he pldcked the plank from
his own eye before attempting to
remove the splinter from the eye
of his neighbor.
"Oftentimes the complaint is
made that few men run the asso-
citation. In every case, investigation
will show that it is only those few
who, approaching the necessity OF
the work, are willing to devote some
time away from business for its ac-
compGshment.
However. request the average
grocery man to serve on commit.
tee or devote some time outside OF
his business to constructive work.
and he invariably has some excuse
for his refusal to serve. And this
refusal is made regardless of the
fact that his work outside would only
tend to the advancement of his own
interests"
PURE FOOD-WEEKLY
FILLER
NJ