The Washington times., 1923-05-22
GR0CERS DENY
RAISING COST
Of SUGAR
Wholesalers Are Hurt Worse
Than Public, McLaurin
Tells Convention.

Establishment of q better under.
standing with the public should b
one Of the chief concerns OF mem.
bers Of the American Wholesale
Grocers' Association, J. II. Nc.
Laurin, of Jacksonville, Fla, the
organisations president, told dele
gates to the thirty-fiFst annual con-
'vention opening at the Willard to-
day.
The public. McLaurin said.
through its ignorance of the whole
sale grocery business and the func-
ton of the middlen1An and ware.
housenan, ''stiil has sort OF mo-
ton that the wholesale grocers have
full and complete control over the
raising and packing of articles and
food" and, furthermore; readily
attribute any rise in price or any
scarcity of articles to the greed Of
the Wholesale grocers and the diere-
gard OF the public welfare on the
part OF the wholesale trade"
GrOcers Hurt by Sugar.
McI.aurin specifically referred to
the vexed sugar question, brought
to nationwide prominence by the
recent operations Of gamblers on
the New York exchanges.
'Why, even large majority OF
the public undoubtedly think" ex-
claimed McLaurin, THAT Wholesale
grocers are to blame for the recent
rise In the price Of sugar--sugar,
that word which the wholesale trade
would be glad never 70 hear again
so tar as II relates to buying ana
selling! If the public has bean made
to smart because Of sugar Inanipu.
lations, the wholesale grocere have
been burnt to cinders."
He advocated provision Of q fund
for cooperative advertising Ito
make plain to the world what man.
ner OF men we ara.
Discusses Business Ethics.
McI.aurin also dwelt upon right
practices and business ethics among
the membership Of the association
and gave a prophecy that 1923
would show itself a year Of great
and general business prosperity, "
He scored such trade practices, oh.
servable in isloated instances, OF
wholesalers naming one price to
one retailer, another TO another.
Immediately, however, he warned
against any idea that he advocated
price fixing.
''I wish specifically to state" he
declared, that groccrs should not,
by combination or agreenent among
themselves fix the prices at which
they sell their goods. The individ-
ual grocer, however, should care
fully consider the cost Of doing
business and should demand and
receive what his goods cost, pfus
what 1t cost to handle them, plus
a fair return to himself"
The representatives Of the whole
sale grocers' association are much
ausumented by delegations from
the National Food Brokers Assocta-
ton, the National Retail GrOcers
Association, the National Gamers
Association, the American Speciality
Manufacturers Association, and the
Canadian Wholesale Gr0cerS Asso-
citation.
About 5000 Present.
The full registration 10 expected
to be around 5000, the strongest
convention. numerically. yet held.
After an invocation by the Rev.
Jason Noble Pierce, d. D.. First
CONVERSATIONAL GHuTCuI Opcul1B wy
first business session, John H. VIII
kins, wholesaler Of this city, In
troduced e. F. ColladAy, president
of the Washington Board Of Trade,
who welcomed the delegates 20
"their own Capital"
He remarked upon the timeltnesS
Of the assemblage Of food purveyUrs
nearly on the eve OF the great
Shrine convention. one Of the pre9-
sing problems In connection with
which has been establishing the an
surance Of an adequate food supply.
A. e. Glister, of st. Louis, mem
Der of the Associations executive
committee, replied.
The convention will continue
through Friday, with varied enter
tainment features. At this after
Moons session committee reports
will be received, new committees
named, and an address made by T.
Alfred Flemming, supervisor. conser-
walton department. national board
of underwriters, followed by gen.
eral discussion led by e. p. Moore,
wholesaler OF Helena Ark