The sun., 1919-08-24
GROCERS YIELDING
TO PRICE SCHEDULE
williams Finds Cheaper Food
Campaign Is Producing
Beneficial Results.
BUTCHERS NEXT ON LIST
Chain Stores Lead in Comply
ing With Rules-Slogan of
Fair Profit Popular.
BUTCHERS NEXT ON LIST

IN. campaign Of the last two weeks to
stop the skyrocketing Of food prices and
s.t them In closer harmony with the
family purse is producing results which
Arthur williams Federal Food Admin
istrator for this city. declared yesterday
AZ most satisfactory and pleasing.
A survey Of prevailing prices in three
sets Of chain grocery stores--between
500 and 1000 stores in all-showed that
these grocers are keeping mighty close to
the fair prices" for certain staple arti-
el,s out out by Mr.. willams's Fair:Price
Committee Just to demonstrate what
can be done, these stores are selling some
Of the listed goods below the committees
maximum prices. What ie true Of the
chain stores equally is true of hundreds
Of other grocery concerns in the city
which have agreed to abide by the Sd
called flair prices" On the other hand.
cases have cropped up where grocers.
who were selling below the official fair
prices" have taken advantage of the
situation by marking up these particular
goods to correspond with the commit
tees maximum.
However. Mr.. Williams says, the big
point Is that dealers who follow the
fair prices" cannot be included in the
category Of pro6teers by any process OF
reasoning.
The margins allowed by the committee
are the same margins that were used
by Food Administration official adjuncts
in unofficially fixing prices during the
war.
D.Nu 60. NJ TAvr
The next step to be taken by the Fair
Price Committee will be a peffort to
induce retail butchers to consent to come
in this week on an all round movement
by which all will agree to stand fast by
unofficial margins on various cuts Of
meat to be announced by the official
body. II isn't any secret whatever that
much profteering has been going on In
certain retail butcher shops. Govern
ment inquiry has proven that this is-so.
and the wall of the hard driven house.
wife over high and varying prices for
meat has confirmed what Is more than
a Government suspicion. The attitude
OF the butchers in the plan to have
them rally TO the Governments Fair
Price Committee plan will be watched
with interest.
While comparison of retail groceries
prices with fair" prices indicates that
a very pronounced disposition is being
manifested to keep step with the cam
paign movement to keep prices down.
there were further indications yesterday
that prices are slipping. This was true.
particularly In the matter of fresh vege-
tables and fruits. II Is probable that
this was 80 because this Is the season
Of the year when fresh vegetables and
fruits are very plentiful. although some
were inclined to believe that the big rush
Of housewives to the school stores for
the army's canned tomatoes. corn and
beans was responsible for some of the
falling Off In the demand for perfectly
fresh vegetables.
There was lots OF green corn in the
market and down in vesey street buck
eters were selling It from wagons at the
rate OF four ears for a dime. It wasn't
prime corn. to be sure. but there were
many who thought corn on the cob at
20 a dozen went better and further
at a Sunday dinner than the armys
canned corn.
Farmers Profits Mt Low Ebb.
String beans, which had been whole
sailing at $3.50 thirty-two quart basket.
dropped In price to from so to so cents,
ana The farmer thus got less than two
cents basket AS the basket itself
costs 30 cents and the freight Is cents
or more there wasn't much left for the
farmer. Any housewife can figure out
for herself what profiteering profit her
retailer made on string beans.
Incidentally It Is understood that the
Fair Price Committee eventually will
try to pare off 100 or 200 per cent of
the profit which some retail dealers are
making on some fresh vegetables.
AS Food Administrator Williams sized
up the weeks activities of Attorney
General Palmer. the United States Dis
trict Attorneys Office Mayor Hylan.
Gov. Smith, the Fair Price Committee
and others all working toward the same
end good deal had been accomplished
for the consumer by means OF these
agencies.
zone general result of the two weeks
campaign" Mr.. williams said. els the
releasing of boarded goods. There are
Indications on every hand that the
boarding OF food is stopping. We find
that food which has been boarded for
an enhancing market price has been
moving into the market. We have no
desire whatever to have food moved out
that has been properly stored for con-
sumption in times of scant or no pro-
duction. But We do want to move food
that is being held to enhance prices.
another result of the campaign has been
the eliminating of profiteerlng. The re-
taller who sells at the prices announced
oy our Fair Price Committee has the
knowledge that he has not been prof.
teertng. Every purchaser OF food In
New York knows the point beyond
which they shouldn't go in the purchase
OF these foodstuffs. They now have a
medium of comparison. The whole ef-
tort OF the Fair Price Committee Is to
point out a fair price We possess no
power to take away a fair profit and we
cont want to. We want to take away
any chance of a man who would hold up
purchaser, and believe that is being
accomplished"
Chain store Prices Made Public.
MI Williams made public reports of
yesterdays prices IN the retail grocery
stores OF three chain concerns on certain
etAples on which the Fair Price Conn
naittee has unofficially placed official
margins OF profit which may DO taken.
The comparisons follow:
Maximum Chain Store
Fair Price. Price.
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