The Washington times., 1920-02-03
4. c. |. DRIVE
]. OF NO AVAIL
Not Enough Change in Prices
To Have Much Effect, Says
D. C. Dealer.

Activities OF the District fair price
committee and similar bodies In other
parts OF the country were credited
by a leading Washington meat whole
saler today with a slight falling OH
in the prices OF meats reported by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics OF the De-
partment OF Labor
On the other hand. one OF the citys
largest dealers In general provisions
maintained that the high cost OF Nv
ing campaign has had no effect on
the market since last summer wheh
public agitation led consumers TO les
sen their buying. and thereby disrupt
ed the market situation.
There hasn't been enough change
in prices to have much effect" said
the general, provision dealer. prices
may be off just a bit, but 1t makes
little difference when the price In
general is possibly 200 per cent above
the normal before the war. The per
son who can afford to pay 500 per
cent can afford to pay 30o. and the
person who can't pay 800 per cent
can't afford to pay 200, and that is
about all there is to 1t.
Farm Products Higher.
Farm products are higher. Wash
ington wholesalers said, because OF
unrest among the farmers. who are
being told by organization leaders
that they are not getting their share
in the general high prices.
Retail meat dealers ere standing
some of the slight decrease in meat
prices. a wholesaler said. Legs OF
lamb are selling at so and 90 cent?
per pound retail that cost the dealer
a. xUhnIaQallnR n
30 cents. ID retailed at 35 to 40 cents,
he said.
He declared that the effect of the
cost of living campaign had beel felt
back as far as the stock raiser. out
that 4 came principally on the re-
taller.
Dairy products and table staples
are keeping up the cost of living de-
spite a decline in the last six months
in retail meat prices, according TO
figures compiled by the Bureau OF
Labor Statistics today.
Other Necessaries Climb.
Sirloin and round steak. pork
chops, rib and chuck roasts. plate
beef, bacon. ham and lard have de-
creased since last May, when the
prices of meat reached the high peak,
the bureau found. Dairy products.
sugar, coffee, bread, potatoes, flour
and rice prices have increased. and
msre than offset the decline In meat
Sugar and coffee are the staples
which have been the chief mainstays
of high prices
Since May, 1919. steaks have come
down approximately 10 per cent II
was found.
Sugar climbed highest Compared
with December, 1918, tho price OF su-
gar, according to the December, 19lS,
figures gathered by the bureau, In
creased 100 per cent 1t was oSh
per cent higher than IN December
1917.
The price Of all foods combined. In
creased 80 Der cent between 1913 and
the first of this year. In December
1919. food costs were approximately
20 per cent higher than they were In
December 1917, the bureau announced.
Here's How 1t Happened.
Since 1913, foodstuffs have increased
as follows: Sirloin steak. % per
cent: plato beef, 20; bacon, SO; chicken,
ST; eggs, 90; butter, 90; bread, ID;
sugar. 169, and coffee, "a.
Since December 1917. the following
increases were recorded: Siriodn
steak. % per cent; plate beef, 8: bacon.
2: chickens, IS; eggs, ~; butter, "A;
bread, s; sugar. 53h. and coffee 90.
These percentages are based on
prices gathered in fifty leading cities.
They include New York. Chicago. San
Francisco, Cleveland and New Orleans.
Food budgets of families gathered
from thirty-nine cities by the Laoor
Department show that in only four
do families pay more than an aver
age of $70O annually for food. These
cities were Birmingham, Ala, $712.o5;
DALLAS, Tex, S702.55;, New Haven
Conn, s709.6s; Providence, r. l..
S721.64
Salt Lake City Cheapest.
Salt Lake City was the cheapest
city to get food. The average family
expenditure was only S436.47.
other cities food expenditure per
family were Boston. $692.27: Chicago.
5000; Cincinnati. S60S.77; Cleveland.
Se34.s Columbus, $633.84; Denver.
S44o.51; indianapolis. S60S.o7; New
York, s661 so: San Francisco, $46s.S6:
Seattle, S471.32; Atlanta, $66o.67; Kan
sas City, Mo-, s61s.23: Los Angeles.
s4ss. 10; Memphis, s6s491; Milwau-
kee, S592s6; Minneapolis, &b8o.73:
Peoria, ILL.,. s593.73: philadelphia,
$3.50. SO; Portland, Ore. $4b5. 40; ST
Louis, s813.5s; st. Paul, &oI8-e1;
springfield, Ill. S81190. and wash
ington, d. c.. S699.66.