The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-24
WHO GETS MEAT
PROFIT ONE Of
GREAT PUZZLES
Packers, Butchers, Retailers,
and Farmers All Say They
Make Nothing.
By GEORGE r. HOLMES,
international News Service.

uEOISoAI H.
International News Service.
Get out pencil and paper and have
try at solving the most puZzling
puzzle extant.
1t is a puzzle which affects every
man, woman and child in these
United States. whether they live on
farms or in cities, In New York or
in California, In bungalows OF IN
mansions. 'rs,
1t is more engrossing than the age
OF Ann, the length Of a piece OF
string, or who killed Joseph E:weil
and William Desmond Taylor. II
is the great unsolved mystery OF the
present.
1t Is this:
"Who gets tho big rake-On on a
pound of meat on It's journey from
the farm to the tablet"
The characters in this Cock Robin
mystery speak:
mot To- says the farmer, point
ing to his mortgaged farm. his over
due notes and his long hours o! toll.
"NOt IT, Weeps Packer.
MOT Il! weeps the big packing
plant, pointing to it's traditional ar
gument that it makes only two cents
on the dollar. .
MOT IT. cries tho retailer. and
cites In confederation the Urited
States Department Of Agriculture.
mot T.! sobs the railroad. point
ing out that the Government had TO
guarantee it 6 per cent 30 1t could
continue to operate.
"Well, certainly not Il" yells the
ultimate consumer, pointing to MS
pay check, almost stretched out Ol
recognizable form by the pulling ana
hauling of the butcher. the baker.
the landlord and the gas man.
The United States Government has
recently been trying to solve the
puzzle. 1t set the Department OF
Agriculture, which probably con-
tains more experts Of various kinds
than any other single agency OF
the government, on the trail. But
the experts haven't caught up with
their quarry as yet.
The RETAILER has long been sus-
pected of being the arch-conspira-
tor, but now the Department OF Ag.
riculture gives him a clean bill OF
health. absolves him of all blame
in the mysterious journey from the
hoof to the table. in a report re-
Gently compiled.
Retailer Makes Little.
After an exhaustive survey COW
ering some thirty cities and more
than 5000 retail stores, the govern
ment sleuths found that the much
maligned retailer makes only 2.29
cents on a dollars worth OF meat.
Not an exorbitant profit. to be sure.
1t is not radically different from
that which the packer contends
he makes.
The inquiry covered such cities a.
New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh.
San Francisco, Birmingham. Los
Angeles, New Orleans. Baltimore.
Memphis, Indianapolis, Hartford
and Raleigh. N. c.
Among other things this survey
revealed that the cost of retailing
meat has nearly doubled since 1918,
or whereas 1t cost 3.19 cents a
pound to retail meat In 1913 1t cost
5.26 cents in 1919.
The Governments survey found
that when you pay the retailer a
dollar for a steak he spends II In
this way:
To the wholesaler for tho meat
S1.14 cents.
To expenses Of retailing-le.57
cents.
Profit-2.2s cents.
Cost Of Retailing.
The 1857 cents which the retailer
spends for upkeep Is disposed Of as
follows:
Salaries and wages-10.25 cents.
Rent-1.33.
Ice and refrigerators-0.77.
Wrapping paper-0.76.
Light and power-0.21.
Interest on INTERCHANGEABLE.
Miscellaneous expenses-2.74.
This would seem to throw the
blame further back In the chain
than the retailer.
The railroads. through their au-
thorized spokesman In Washington.
testifying before numerous COM
mittees of Congress, have put up
hard-luck stories that almost
brought tears to the eyes Of SYM
pathetic listeners. Labor high, roll
ing stock depleted, conditions bad,
barely able to make operating ex.
penses, say the railroads.
All the Governments experts and
the ultimate consumers chant the
old refrain: Somebody's Getting 1t,
Getting It," but the identity of the
getter is more obscure than a cotton
stocking In these silken and wooden