The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-07-30
GRADE LABELLING
and INDEPENDENT
MERCHANT

able truth. that the white collar ant
middle class group represent the bull
wark of conservatism in any country
and are the shock troops which fight
the battle against new and progress
sive movements.
An outstanding example of this has
been long before us in the fight for
public power. Although public power
production has been shown repeatedly
to be best protection against eXtor-
Tomato power rates In that it gives an
objective measuring stick as to what
are yet the small business man, the
"enterpriser" has fought bitterly any
and all attempts to give him cheaper
power and light in his quixotic fight
for "free enterprise"
To carry on this tradition the in
dependent merchant today is uniting,
through his trade associations, to
show the opposition of business to
theorists and social reform in war
to informative Ia
beling for consumer protection.
The catch is that the little mer-
chant is fighting the battle for the
advertising agencies and the large
manufacturers and is helping further
conditions which will force him out
of business.
Contrary to popular belief the large
operator does not have a tremendous
advantage over the small independent
operator as far as economy of opera
ton is concerned. This can be illus
trated by the favorite method of
squeezing out competition in the past
The larger operator with number
of outlets throughout the country can
take one community at time and
lower prices so the small operator is
forced to the wall. Then the prices
are raised back to normal or higher
although during this process the other
operations of the chain were charging
the usual prices so that only one OPP
GRAFTON was losing money. The single
operation of the Independent mer-
chant could not stand the pressure
anu It w d0 lOlCCu W tiOSO up
The independent operator as a gen.
eral rule has a pretty high standard
of ethics in that he would not resort
to some of the tactics the large pack
ers have been guilty of. Sawdust in
poisonous preservatives in
canned fruits and vegetables, miracle
health" waters which cause cancer,
cosmetics which cause skin disease,
etc, all these are manifestations of
the large scale enterprise, the high
pressure advertising men and the
profit-mad operator who will shout to
high heaven when his sacred right to
exploit and gyp is questioned.
The modern version of the big ones
eating the little ones is quite interest
ing Instead of the knock-down drag
out affairs of yesterdays price wars,
The struggle is carried on behind the
scenes through short weights and |
quality deterioration.
For example, chain store may buy |
he output of cannery and specify |
/ specific pack, specific size can |
md specific weight of solids. The |
IAN specified may be just shade |
smaller than the standard size sold
~ the independents and the contents
nay be just a trifle less and the water
added may be just a trifle more.
Grade labelling would eliminate this
competition.
But does the Independent merchant
zee this picture and fight for grade
abeling to protect himself? He does
lot - he has taken sides with the
,roup who are slowly driving him out
If businessl