Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
PRICE OF BREAD
IN j. S. TOO HIGH,
CAPPER BELIEVES
Overcharge on Milk and Meat
in Some Cities Also
Indicated.

Following a study of meat prices
throughout the country yesterday, the
senatorial subcommittee on food costs
ended hearings, with Chairman Capper
expressing the belief that the testimony
has indicated to him that bread prices
are too high and that in some cities
milk and meats are higher than they
should be.
The subcommittee probably will make
report to the Senate Agriculture Com
mittee next week, in the hope of hav-
ing the committee report to the Senate
before adjournment.
The discussion of meat prices brought
forth testimony to the effect that re-
tail prices of beef have gone up during
the last IL years, while the wholesale
prices have declined, but the data pre-
sented also showed that there has been
a decline in both wholesale and retail
meat prices In the past two years
Data on Prices Here.
Figures showing that retail meat
prices were lower in Washington in
January of this year than in the same
month of 1880 or 1929 were presented
to the committee by Ethelbert Stewart
of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who
also gave the committee price data for
81 other cities and wholesale quotations
at Chicago.
Mr.. Stewart gave the retail price per
pound of rib roast in Washington as
follows: January, 1929, 391 cents:
1880. 382 cents, and January of this
year, 33.5 cents.
For leg of lamb per pound in Wash
ington-January, 1929, 1913 cents; jan
uary, 1880, 42.2, and January, 1881, 1877.
For pork chops per pound in Wash
ington-January, 1929, 1875 cents; jan
uary, 1880. 37.2 cents, and January
this year, Bill cents.
For plate beef per pound in Wash
ington-January, 1929, 20.5 cents; jan
uary, 1880, 1876 cents, and January, this
year, 142.
Comparisons Held Difficult.
Mr.. Stewart told the committee COM
parsons could hardly be made between
retail prices in different cities because
different methods are employed in cut
ting meat in different parts of the coun-
n.y. I1C oAoO POAAONA OAS OAAON NAA~~S ~
likely to be quite range in price with
in a city, due to difference in quality
Of meat. When members of the COM
mittee inquired as to how the changes in
retail prices have compared with the
decline in the price to the producers,
Mr.. Stewart said there is always a GER
tain lag in time in retail price changes,
but that if wholesale prices come down
and stay down for any length of time
they will be reflected in the retail price.
Joseph Becker of the Department of
Agriculture gave the committee charts
comparing the prices received by the
farmers in $780, as compared with pre-
vious years.
The discussion of meat prices in
Washington was confined to the quo
tations given by Stewart, the remainder
of the hearing being devoted to study
of meat costs from a national stand
point.
The only witness representing the
retailers, David Van Gelder of the Ma
tional Retail Meat Dealers Association
testified the cause of this disparity is
due to higher overhead costs and the
consumers demand for better meats.
Live Stock Official Quizzed.
Declaring the producers are getting
a smaller percentage of the consumers
dollar than in past years, F. E. Mollin
Continued en- Page 2, Column D.