Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-06
CITY MARKETS USE
MAY REDUCE H. C.L.
Officials Say Distributing
Surplus Army Food Thus
Will Bring Developments.
1T MAY BE PERMANENT

Utilization Of District-owned markets
for getting surplus Army foodstuffs
10 local consumers at less than cost
prices. as proposed by the Commission
ers. VIII operate as an entering wedge
to make these institutions bigger fac
tors in the future in permanently re
ducing the cost of living in Washing
ton. municipal officials predicted last
night.
The Commissioners propose TO use
the fish market. on Mater street. and
Eastern and Western markets as the
principal storage and distribution CEN
ters in the handling Of the government
products.
VIII Ask Truck Transportation.
Tomorrow morning Commissioner
Gardiner viii submit This plan to Sec
rotary OF War Ral<cr with the request
that the. Secretary order the transpor-
tation TO Washington in motor trucks
OF at least a carload of foodstuffS
now held at the Army depot in Bal
tlmore. This would eliminate freight
rates. thereby enabling the District to
obtain the supplies at the sam. prices
Baltimore would have to pay for them.
Decision to store the products in the
fish market and distribute them from
this point and the other markets men
toned. rather than through the school
houses. injected new element into
the situation yesterday. which is re
garded as having a significant bearing
upon the future.
If the plan works. legislation almost
ai,ai, F~ll
markets on a new basis whereby they
can serve the people more effectively
in obtaining foods at rca sonabie cost.
it is believed in local government
circles.
Advise City Wholesale Market
Recommendations have been made
by members OF the present board OF
Commissioners that the District gov
eminent build ard operate "a muuir-
ipal wholesale market. This sugGeS-
ton doubtless viii be revived. If the
Army food plan meets with the sue
cess that is anticipated.
The present municipal markets have
been instrumental TO no marked de-
gree in cutting down prices. While
the stands in these buildings have
been rented to dealers at nominal fig
ures. this saving in the overhead ex-
pense. it is stated. has not been re
f1ected in any material saving to the
ultimate consumers.
Householders have found il advan-
tageous to buy fish and marine prri-
ucts at the Water street market. but
the economies offered in dealing here,
for some as yet unexplained reason
have not been awaited of by the pub
lie on an extensive scale.
When the Army foods are received
and offered for sale the public will
be put to the test as to whether it
is willing to patroniZe these markets
in order to get the benefit of reduced
prices.
Possibilities if Plan Works.
If such Willingness is demon
strated. the municipal authorities.
with the aid of Congress. Will be al
most certain to find n way. it is be
lieved TO provide these markets with
foo,lS at fair prices, even after the
Army stocks have been exhausted.
The whole subject of food supplies
and distribution is one the Commits
sioners promise TO give a great deal
of attention to in the Immediate
future.
While the District government is TO
order the Army supplies and assume
responsibility for their handling, 1t is
probable that a District citizen, not
connected in an official way with the
municipal government. VIII be in
direct charge Of the distribution: This
man is John G. McGrath, president Of
the citizens food council. which was
organized as an adjunct of the Dis
trict food administration during the
war.
Will Ask Mr.: McGrath to Direct
Commissioner Gardiner announced
last night that he would ask Mr.. Nc
Grath to serve director OF the
Army food supply distribution. in view
of the success he achieved with his
community cooperative buying plan
in Park View.
The food council head was out or
the city last night. but he has indicated
to the Commissioner that he would not
be averse to taking charge OF the
work, even to the extent of donating
a month of his time, if necessary.
1t is considered probable that MI.
McGrath Will ask the use OF several
schoolhouses in order so TO spread out
the plan of distribution that every
section of the city may be served.
Petworth as well as Park View. citi-
zens have requested that the schools
in those neighborhoods be used as
local distribution points.