The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-01-29
U. S. TO HANDLE
FOOD MARKETING
Federal Trade Commission Fa-
vors Supervision by Gov
eminent Authorities.
WOULD ELIMINATE BOARDING
Establishment of Central Markets for
Perishable Food Products and
Creation of Licensing System
Urged by Board.

n.--Establishment of cen
trial markets for perishable food prod
ucts in all large cities and the setting
up of a federal licensing system ap-
| plicable to all dealers in such foods
at those markets are proposed by the
| federal trade commission in it's annual
report to congress.
| The commissions conclusions are
based on an Investigation covering
many months, and it declares that fed
| eral action is necessary to obtain eff
| fective regulation and to avoid un-
| fair and wasteful practices with the
| consequent effect on prices.
In the present system the commits
sion sees as a hindrance to the proper
passage of perishables from the pro-
Queer to the consumer certain inter
trade dealings which it believes should
be eliminated, and it suggests that the
handling of these products be sur
rounded by numerous regulations and
restrictions such as the recording of
available supplies and the dating of
cold-storage periods and provisions
for auction marketing.
!. Facilities should be made adequate,
the commission SAYS, to enable the
producer to ship freely into the cen
trail markets and with proper pro-
lection of his interests The mar
keting system should be so covered
that Objectionable boarding would be
eliminated and proper coordination
Of transportation facilities should be
accomplished 10 make deliveries GER
tain when required.
The commission says that 1.-THE
needed reforms can hardly be expect
ed to be accomplished by the initia-
tive of the Dealers" and asserts that
state and municipal authorities lack
adequate power to effectively regulate
the handling Of the food supplies.
Big Jump in Flour Profits.
Turning to wheat products, the com
mission says ii has found that con-
centration of the milling industry has
far enough so that prob
ably ten of the largest milling con-
Germs could supply the demand of the
for flour" The commission
incidentally that its figures
from 81 milling corporations showed
that their sales had increased from
$780, 100000 to 1854 100000 between
1914 and 1918, while their annual
profits had grown from S5,5OO,OOO TO
$40. 100000 in the same period
Reporting on the operation of the I
act, permitting for
nation of associations for export
rade, the commission informs con-
,ress that this act has served as "a
ecided factor" in promoting the
rogress of American manufacturers +
n foreign markets. The commission
avs that during the year 43 assocIa-
ions, comprising approximately 1872
oncerns, whose offices and plants
yere distributed over 43 states, re-
orted to 1t as operating under the
xport art.
The commission says also that the
wv, instead of increasing the strength
: the already great American indus
ial establishments, has enabled the
mailer concerns to band together in
fashion to push fully organized ex-
1rt trade In a keenly competitive
amer, which they are not able to
at home. To this extent, the COM
ission believes, the law has worked
the great advantage of the small
ms