New-York tribune., 1920-01-22
Flour Advance
TO Force Raise
I'm Bread rice
Bakers Seek Approval of
Williams in Action They
Say Must Be Taken to
Prevent Loss OH All Sales
III Gents TO Consumers
Suggested Use of Special
Government Flour Is Re-
iccted at the Conference

representatives of the largest whole
cral Food Administrator Arthur Will
isms at a conference yesterday that
advancing flour prices were forcing
them to raise the price of bread. They
said that. although not licensed any
longer, they did not want to add to
the bread price without first obtaining
Inc Food Administrators approval.
The schedule of price suggested by
he bakers would send the cost Of a
pound of bread to the consumer, at
cash and carry stores, to 4 cents The
price at ether stores would be l.
cents. rwcntyf four ounce loavcs, un-
der the new price schedule, would sell
at Is cents at cash and carry stores
and IL cents delivered The price to
The groccrs would be 10 cents for the
pound loaf and 1412 cents for the
twentyfour ounce loaf.
The bakers explained that at present
they were selling to grocers fourteen
ounce loaf for nine cents and twenty
two ounce loaves for 12.5 cents. The gro
cors sold these loaves for 10 and ii
iSH HPSNti' tiSy odiu. Hcit
consensus of opinion was that con-
umers at present were under the i'm
plcsson that they were purchasing
one pound and ne-pound and Il half
owes. The bakers agreed that it was
desirable TO return to these standards.
n'hich had been observed during the
az, and at the same time advance
nc price enough to cover their added
,Trcn1iture.
Flour Raise Traced
The advance in the price OF -four
ras traced by bakers, who said that
sold fer s4.9l a barrel in 1915. COM
farcd to SIS at present. Statistics
rcrc produced by those present show
that. with -four at SIS barrel. it
-es.s l0.45 cents to produce pound
",.f Of bread. the flour ingredient cost
= Gil cents and the labor t.34 cents.
,cy pointed out. however, that the
,cracc cost of the flour they were
1w using was about SIS a barrel, as
- had about thirty days supply on
AID in most instances. With flour a
, q barrel, according to the figures
.duced. the bread cost is 90 cents a
aurd. at S14 10.11 cents a pound.
Ono manufacturer declared chat the
md price was advanced in Cleve-
q and Detroit about q month ago.
ika bakers rejected thc suggestion
Mr. Williams that they use the gov
'nonts special -four. which sells at
20 barrel. in making bread. John
Iiildobrand. president Of the Shuts
read Company, declared he was
.nvirced that the governments -four
nd not be used. even in the poorer
,ehhorhoods. lie called the poor
&c best judges Of bread and added
.. they had refused to purchase it
hon his firm had experimental
;ih it.
.'ulius IT, Rarncs. United States
tea' Director. VINO had been invited
etterd the conference. sent his re-
IS in letter. in which he declared
he believed the low and high
iced Hours COULD be blended and the
cd sold at the current price. He
d that the price of -four offered
rectly to the consumers through re-
'crs is $40 and 50 for sacks con-
ming an eighth Of barrel. He de-
red that the consumer should be
-rmitted to choose between a lower
nd finer grade of bread.
\ special responsibility rests on the
i.er to-day, that By every means of
.aapenirg his raw material, without
,roying the appreciation of GUS
,ners. he should avoid advancing
s'ccs," Mr.. Barnes wrote.
Objections by Groccrs
officials of retai, grocers' associa-
1ns who were present at the meet
:. objected to cutting down their
srg.n On bread, az proposed by the
oiesaie bakers. The = per cent al
n'sed them for handlin.- bread at pres
n' was barelY sufficient. they agreed
d they could not reduce It,
The final decision on the appeal of
. bakers for q higher bread price
Iii be reached tomorrow at another
ttnference with Mr.. Williams. Those
'bo participated in yesterdays con-
renee included Adam Metz, president
the Retail Grocers' Association OF
anhattan; Edward Trubk, represent-
the Brooklyn Master Bakers As
ociation; James g. Arthur, OF tbs
ard Baking Company; A. F. Hcnno
60 pillnan & Co.; F. 4. Hill. president
81 ;ne New York Retail Bakers Asso.
atlon; 7. j. Friedman. president OF
re DclicatesscA Dealers Association
i'cter Amor, president OF The New
or@ Retail Grocers' Association; A
..aDnbal, president o. the Franco
hner'can Baking Company; A. +. Gun
lcrman. OF the New York state Maste
Rakers Assoc alton; j. NJ. McNane an,
George NJ. Ballou, OF Cushman Sons
Inc: William Deiningcr, president o
ne General Baking Company: William
'>tciHuctH, pirSiucitt VI tne state aSSO
ciation OF Master Bakers; George '
Duane. president of the Manhatta
ard Bronx Retail Bakers Association
and B. A. Cushman, of Cushman
Sons.
Former Markets Commissioner iona
,nan t. Day announced yesterday tina
the sales stations N this city disposin
OF navy surplus food would dispose o
10000 pounds Of -four shortly AT s.
hundred pounds.