Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 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.

Establishment of CEN
trail markets for perishable food prod
ucts in all large cities and the setting
up of federal licensing system APP
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 II declares that fed
eral action is necessary to obtain eff
fective regulation and to avoid I'M
fair and wasteful practices with the
consequent effect Oh prices.
In the present system the commits
sion sees as 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.
Would Eliminate Hoarding.
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 to 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 it has found that con-
centratiOn of the milling industry has
progressed far enough so that prob
ably ten of the largest milling con-
Germs could supply the demand of the
country for -four" The commission
mentions incidentally that its figures
from 81 milling corporations showed
that their sales had increased from
S180,OOO,0OO to 1854 100000 between
1914 and 1918, while their annual
knI 70
$20,000,000 in the same period.
Reporting on the operation of the
Webb-Pomerene act. permitting for
nation of associations for export
trade, the commission informs con-
gress that this act has served as "a
decided factor" in promoting the
progress of American manufacturers
in foreign markets. The commission
says that during the year 43 aSsocia-
lions, comprising approximately 732
concerns, whose offices and plants
were distributed over 43 states, re-
ported to it as operating under the
export art.
The commission says also that the
law, instead of increasing the strength
Of the already great American indus
trial establishments, has enabled the
smaller concerns to band together in
a fashion to push fully organized ex-
port trade In keenly competitive
manner, which they are not able to
do at home. To this extent, the COM
mission believes, the law has worked
to the great advantage of the small
firms