Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-14
CAPPER TO TAKE Up
PRICE OF MILK At
TUESDAY MEETING
Head of Committee Declares
Retail Cost of Bread
Here Too High.
SAYS BAKERIES DICTATE
SUMS CONSUMERS PAY
Drop Of Less Than 10 Per Cent
Noted as Other Foods Decrease
by 80 Per Cent.

After several days of hearings on
bread prices, both here and throughout
the country, the Senate food investi-
eating subcommittee win turn its at
tention to milk and dairy products when
it meets again Tuesday. It is under
stood the subcommittee will devote some
OF It's time next week to milk prices in
the District.
In the course of yesterdays hearing
Senator Capper of Kansas, subcommit-
tee chairman, voiced his BELIEF that
bread prices In Washington are unreal
Sonable.
w. M. Hornstein, president of the
United Food Stores of Washington. an
organization composed of so inde3end-
ent grocers, agreed with Senator Cap
per that bread prices are too high. Mr..
HornStein explained his organization
has warehouse, from which each
Storekeeper gets many of his products.
but they have no bakery. The dealers
buy their bread from the various bak-
ing concerns. He said the stores pay
cents a loaf, as rule, and sell 1t for
8 cents.
Given Bread Price.
Asked by Chairman Capper If he had
ever received instructions or informa-
ton as to the retail price to be charged
or bread, milk or meats, Hornstein
answered.:
We'll, we were told to sell Bond
bread for 10 cents"
Answering further questions, Horn
stein said Bond bread, which is made
by the General Baking Co., costs the
stores cents and is sold for 10 cents.
Mr.. Hornstein testified he thought
that If there were lot of independent
bakers in Washington bread prices
would be lower.
The first witness heard yesterday
afternoon was M. L. Langford, manager
Of the bakery of the Sanitary Grocery
Co., who testified that last November
his company reduced the price of its
one-pound loaf from cents to cents
and reduced the pound-and-a-haR loaf
from Is to 10 cents
Asked by Chairman Capper why
whole-wheat bread sells for more than
white bread, Mr.. Langford said it costs
more to produce it and must be made
in small quantities because it represents
only per cent of total sales. Mr..
Langford explained that the Sanico
Bakery furnishes bread and cakes to
the Sanitary Grocery stores.
Would Fix Prices.
Mr.. Langford urged members of the
subcommittee to pay visit to his COM
pany's baking plant
George E. SHIRLEY of the Research
Institute, read a statement to the sub
committee in which he urged that local
authorities be given power to TX o
schedule of bread prices
Testimony in the investigation has
convinced Chairman Capper that the
price of bread in many cities is too
high" and is dictated" in some of them
by a few bis companies.
81 am convinced" he said, ''the price
of bread is too high in many cities. The
low prices Of wheat and flour have not
been reflected In the price of bread to
the consumer
There has been drop from 20 to 90
per cent in the prices of other food
StuffS generally, but drop In price of
bread less than 10 per cent.
1T is the one important commodity
which hasn't responded to the economic
trend of the last year.
In many of the large cities two or
three big companies that have been
created under the general consolidation
program of recent years are in control
of the bread market and dictate prices"
Says Sugar Price Low.
Capper said he did not want to dis
cuSS possible remedies until he has con-
ferred with other members of the COM
mittee. He added, however, a report
will be made to the Senate week after
next, shortly after conclusion of hear
ings on the prices of dairy products
and meats.
j. F. Abbott, president of the Amer
lean Sugar Refining Co., testified yes
terday that, eliminating the tariff, the
public is getting refined sugar at the
lowest price in the worlds history"
His company, he added, is selling
brown sugar in bulk for s3:75 a hun
dred pounds and white for $3.50. The
price of brown sugar is higher, how
ever, when sold in small packages.
Both Abbott and j. H. Post, president
of the National Sugar Refining Co., de-
MED any combination in the sugar in
dustry to control prices.
Post said the public is getting sugar
at very reasonable costs" He added
that refinerS would be glad to make
10 cents profit on each hundred pounds
Of sugar handled.