The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-03-08
CUTTING DOWN PRICES
TO THE CONSUMER
Intensive Educational Campaign by
the Department of Justice

department OF
The department of justice announc-
ed today that it intends to begin
within a few weeks an intensive edu-
cational campaign designed to lower
the consumers meat bill materially.
The plan to be used has been tested
by the department in several places
in order that its economic soundness
might be demonstrated. 1t is expect
ed that the efforts of the department
will have the cooperation of retail
meat dealers throughout the counely
as well as the cooperation of the
whole packing industry, including
several hundred different companies.
The department will attempt to
show the consumer the advantage of
turning away from the high-priced
cuts of meat, where the demand is
now concentrated, to the less costly
cats, which constitute the bulk of the
meat animal and which. when correct
~ prepared, are of high nutritive
value and great palatability.
This plan early received the sane
tion of numerous retailers-both in
dividuals and association officials.
Hundreds of wholesalers and packing
companies throughout the country
have now agreed to cooperate.
The economic theory upon which
the department is proceeding has been
corroborated by other governmental
agencies in close touch with market
ing conditions. After an investigation
of these conditions and experiments
in limited localities, the department of
justice finds this situation existing
with reference to the purchase of
meats at retail:
Those cuts of meats which are in
heaviest demand-so-c o-called choice
steaks and rib roasts-constitute less
than one-fourth of the steer. This
concentration of demand on the por-
tions which are available in the least
quantity has driven up the price of
the very cuts which are most popu-
lar.
Failure to take advantage of the
less costly cuts seems due to two fac
tors; lack of knowledge concerning
the preparation of the inexpensive
pieces, and lack. of information and
indiff on the part of the house
keeper as to the high nutritive value
and palatability of such portions.
AS consequence good meat at low
prices is dragging in the market,
while meat from the same animal
which is no more nourishing but IS
four times as costly is in great de-
mand. For example, recent wholesale
quotations from the western market
show that the best grade short loins
(whence come fine steaks) have been
selling wholesale as high as 90 cents
a pound; while the best grade chucks
from the identical steer have been
selling at Is cents. The chuck portion
vas raised on the same feed as the
loin portion. 1t would yield nutritious
steaks, tasty roasts, pot roasts, stews
and corned beef.
Table d'hote luncheon menus very
clearly show that the metropolitan
horels have learned the advantage Of
using inexpensive cuts. The great
majority of the meat dishes in the
table d'hote luncheons of many we'll
known hotels and restaurants are
made from inexpensive cuts. Hus-
bands order and enjoy at luncheon
portions of meat which their wives
rarely or never buy for the home
table.
The housewife holds in her own
hand the remedy for very high meat
prices. By turning away from the
expensive to the inexpensive cuts she
not only will lower her own meat {.
bills, but will drive down the price Of
the choice cuts; Furthermore, she VIII
make it possible for meat to be mer- T.
chandized more economically. With !.
the present unequal demand for the
various cuts at retail. some meat is
diverted to other than its natural
uses and other meat is wasted. This
loss is ultimately borne by the con-
Sumer.
The department of justice proposes
with the aid of the consumer to cor
rect this situation. Fair price COM
~, 70 +a will ba oclyaI