Show TRADESMEN IN IN LETTER URGE PRICE PROBE Governor Simon Bamberger Asked to Name Competent Corn Com Men fen RETAILER NO H. H C. C L. L AGENT IS DEFENSE Grocers and Butchers' Butchers Association Association Asso Asso- Points Out Ont I Cost Causes I Requesting that Governor Dam Cam berger cr appoint competent men to carry carry car- car I ry Iy out the thc food probe to be made un-I un un un-i I der the lie direction of oC Dan B. B attorney general and declaring that the governments government's m manner in handling I Ithe I the railroads has been one of tho ho art an- I factors actors In hl h the Retail Grocers and Butchers Butchers' association has lias addressed a n letter to Governor Ham 1 I I Herg stalin stating that the they have havo noth noth- lug ing to fear from an an- Investigation atlon anti ind ask on only I that It ho bo a n sympathetic and understanding one Thc rho letter follows Collow A great deal has been heen said HaitI about the high cost of ot living There has been heen some somo effort to localize anti and I emo e the cause c but nothing has been actually accorn i pUshed Prices are as hl high higi h as ns over ever everand I and it appears to the public at large that the maximum altitude has not I yet been reached The public naturally looks to Its l chosen officials for or relief relle and antI de demands demands de- de demands mands of thorn thom a reduction of pries prices es The same public comes exclusively In I contact with tho the retailer and anti naturally naturally ally harbors and expresses expresses- its resent resent- I I I ment tent n against him It does not look toIto to J Ito tho real and more remote causes of tho the difficulty which h uro itro not ImmedIately immediately immediately imme Imme- apparent to the casual ob ob- ob server ener The retail grocers and butchers butcher fU suggest est among amon- other causes uses for or the high cost coat of ot living hivIng tho the following Simple Cause Came nod Effect There is a general prevalence of h costs coots Clothing Clothing- Is very ery o expensive pen pen- siv sive Shoes are almost beyond the reach of ot the tho ordinary Individual Rents are aro hl high h Taxes are arc a n. drain upon the purse of everyone e The public pub pub- lic lie need not go o beyond its common experience ex ox- ox- ox to understand that the tw retail grocer and butcher his clerk hl his bookkeeper his dellver deliveryman dc man and everybody employed l Ii by y the retail grocer grocer gro gro- and butcher hutcher must necessarily ro ro- ro high h wages wag in order to to enable I hIm Im to carry carryon on lila hit occupation Allo All i Ii o of this the retail grocer and butcher h has hR R to stand and pay forBy torBy for tor By Ily WO way of illustration It tl Is re respectfully ro- ro submitted that the increase in the cost of foods which ti the c government govern govern- o ern ment of or the United States is contemplating plating In estl Investigating is not greater reater than the Increase in the cost of operating operating operating oper oper- the government of oC the United I States Slates itself D Demands Demand Heavy The Tho d demands mands In Europe l upon our ow food are enormous The scenes I of oC desolation throughout tho the occupied I areas of France and Belgium the tho poverty poverty pov pov- erty orty of ot Ital Italy u the gene general 1 lack hack on of r rall all necessities both amon among the 1 nations and th their ir enemies In tho the late war are arc great rent causes of hl high h prices which should b by no means be ch charged to the retail dealers in food tood Freight rates are arc a direct taxation upon every article which Is consumed by the public The government o was compelled according to Its own statement state state- ment mont to raise the thc freight ht rates In or or- der to meet the demands of the yo t I 1 1 great I I I a. a u. u wage n and we suspect tl that at I if further advancES advancE'S nd nd- vances vancE'S are granted the thc railway men non that there will follow Collow another proportionate proportionate proper proper- increase in freight rel-ht rates The hi hIgh h frel freight ht rates resultant upon the thc high wages create creato a hl higher er cost of food supplies to the retail dealer which should hould not bo be char charged to the re re- re tall tail dealer in foot food tood The 1 government o has encouraged and In fact demanded an and supported i tho the export In foods to forel foreign n countries coun coun- tries where here hl higher her prices s prevailed because of lack tack of ot necessities The Tho governments government's own action In 1 inG i ng these exports created a n higher cost of supplies to the retailer In foods and he should b be bo by no means charged ed with this Retailer Sot Not These matters are arc only onh a n few of ot tt t those hose which have contributed essen- essen essen- essen tt t to the hi higher her cost of ot living lI As ts wo we have said the natural tendency of t the he public at lar large e Is to ascribe the thc cause of oC what it does lees not like to the thc dealer with whom It must come corne dally i in n contact but we submit that eYer every thinking man should understand and ancI know that tho the retailer I is not responsible sible for those things s. s Ho He suffers as much as an anone one as a result of prevailing pre pro conditions Ho is compelled to keep u a n. greater investment In of capital In hI his business The ratio r between his profit and his hiI capital Invested Is diminished The Thc public buys less of what it It- must pay a hl higher er price for forthan forthan forthan than It would o of an article which It could rould buy at a lower price and one can readily understand that that for this re reason son tho the retail grocer and butcher will welcome welcom-e the lay clay when lower prices will vill prevail pre The retail grocers and butchers hutchers therefore urge th that t If It the they ther are arc to be he investigated In jn their bu business that the Investigation atlon be he a a. sympathetic and understanding one and not an investigation In es aimed solely to cater to an erroneous public Impression as aR to the cause of a difficulty whiCh all of us must roust admit and realize Respectfully submitted in behalf of the thc Retail Grocers Grocer stud and nd Butch Butches Butches' rs' rs as as- as J Emil I Lehmann ehmann chairman board of ot directors |