Arizona republican., 1920-12-27
TRADE COMMISSION
 SUGGESTS CENTRAL
 FOODSTUFF MARKETS

WASHINGTON, Dee. 26-Establish- ment of central markets for perishable food products in all large cities and the setting up of q federal licensings sys- stem applicable to all dealers in such foods at those markets is proposed by the federal trade commission in it's annual report to congress.
 The commissions concluions are based on an investigation covering many months and it declares that fed l.eral action is necessary to obtain eff fective regulation and to avoid unfair and Wastefu practices with the con- sequent effect on prices. In the pres ent system the commission sees as q 1 hundFance to the proper passage of perishabIes from the producer to the consumer certain intertrade dealings which it believes should be eliminated and il suggests that the handling of l these products be surrounded by nu- l merous regulations and restrictions such as the recording of available sup plies, the dating of cold storage periods
 and provisions for auction marketing.
 Facilities should be made adequate,
 the commission says, to enable the pro-
 ducer to ship freely into the central markets and with proper protection of his interests The arketing system should be so governed that objection able boarding would be eliminated and proper coordination of transportation
 facilities should be accomplished to
 make deliveries certain when required
 The commission says that the need
 led reforms can hardly be expected to
 be accomplished by the initiative of
 the dealers" and asserts that state and
 municipal authorities . lack adequate :. power to effectively regulate the hand ling of the food supplies. Although CO., nf ct ias
 and railroads might accomplish the ends sought, the commission believes this plan does not hold out much hope
 for satisfactory solution of the prob lem.
 Turning to wheat@products. the com
 mission says it has found that concen-
 tration of. the milling industry has pro- l gressed far enough so that probably 1 ten of the largest milling concerns could supply the demand of the coun- ' try for flour" The commission men N tions incidentally that its figures iron
 37 milling corporations showed tha
 their sales had increased from SI60, , 000.000 to $354,000.000 between 1914 ant , 1918 while their annual profits haC
 grown from $5,500.000 to $20, 900, 900 il
 the same period.
 I Reporting on the operation of tn
 Webb Pomerene act permitting lorna
 tons or ASSOclaIlonS Tor export trade Q the commission informs copgreas tha : this act has served as "a decide, ! factor" in promoting the progress o f American manufacturers in foreigi ; markets. The commission says tha i during tlle year 4S associations com q prising approximately 732 concern : whose offices and plants arc distribute d over 43 states of the Union reported | s it as operating under the export act. @ Records of the commission seem t f demonstrate" the report continues, O that the criticism so often charge = failing to cultivate and maintain per = manent trade relations abroad and to n often withdrawing from a particula l. foreign market as soon as more at d tractive opportunities present them # selves Ut home or elsewhere will nc O apply to associations operating unde = the export-trade act.
 S Tn reply to questionnaires sent ou e by the commission requesting an ex - pression of opinion as to the actus . working out of the export trade ac / the replies received for the most pal