Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-10
Vice President of Association
Declares Government Has
Obligation to Act.
RESOLUTION TO VACATE
Is CALLED ILL ADVISED
Possibilities for Experiments There
by Department of Agri.
culture Cited.

Declaring that the Government has
an obligation to replace Center Market"
oscar B. Robinson. vice president of
Center Market Dealers Association, In
a statement issued today presented
arguments for the re-establishment of
this market elsewhere at Government
expense.
From the standpoint of revenue, Mr..
Robinson said, the market in the past
has earned much more return on the
money investment than the Government
has ever derived from money invested
by the Government in "other direct re-
turn activities" He claims that a large
building, with Office space above the
market, would prove of aid In the Gov
eminent housing problem, especially in
affording space for the National Guard
armory and for newly formed units of
government.
Governments Obligation.
"The Government has an obligation
to replace Center Market" said Mr..
Robinson, because it exercised the
right to take over the establishment
from its former owners, the Washington
Market Co., and in it's successful oper-
alton for eight years should not seek to
ruthlessly abandon it. The burden was
voluntarily assumed, 1t has been a sue
cess not only financially, but in general
satisfaction to the business people in it
as we'll as the consuming public. Hence
to replace it elsewhere is not establish
ing any precedent on the part of the
government or creating q precedent
likely to be embarrassing.
The resolution which Senator Smoot
frst introduced to close Center Market
on January /, 1929, was characterized
by Mr.. Robinson as mot necessary and
i'll advised" The date of June 30, 1880,
which now stands in a second reSolu-
ton passed by the Senate and sent to
tn House, Mr.. Robinson said, was mot
warranted from the progress already
made, or even contemplated by the
building program" The people of the
city, he said apparently have not been
stirred up over the possible loss of this
old historic and useful place."
Market Place Old.
Center Market" he said. ais prob
ably the largest old established public
market in the United States. 1t has
been a marketing place for one and
one quarter centuries. Originally It
was a gathering place for all sorts of
bartering and trading not only in
dressed animals and fowls and game,
but in live animals, as we'll as other
produce, including even live fish. It
has long been recognized as a guide to
merchants on prices; it furnishes a
competition not only from the conSum-
ers' and shippers standpoint, but from
the dealers standpoint as we'll as of the
soundest character. It entices enough
patronage to warrant the handling of
unusual items of food such as no indi-
vidual merchant could afford to hazard
the investment. The people have come
to look upon the place as one where
selection, quality and the uncommon
product are made common. In Center
Market can be found produce from
nearly every part of the world. Visitors
from other sections of the United States
come here in large numbers, and thou
sands of them annually visit Center
Market.
1.-The Federal Government up to date
has maintained the institution in such
a way as to be largely local function,
but 1t is believed that the United States
Department of Agriculture has many
research projects that could make good
use of Center Market as a practical
laboratory for the development and
furtherance of such research studies,
especially in matters affecting home
economies, the carrying on of grading
work in connection with meats, poultry,
butter and fruits and vegetables, as we'll
as the studying of the effect of cold
storage on many items of foodStuffs
carried from month to month that way,
with a view of determining what effect
the different lengths of time such stor-
age would have on the various COM
modities, especially so far as scientific
or technical elements are involved. Also
research and scientific studies as to the
amount Of energy the various commodi-
ties would take out of the cold storage
system with view of determining pos
sible basis Of charges which such COM
modities should bear from the service
rendered"