Show I u u The President Praises Mass Distribution Immediately upon the outbreak of war in III Europe the organized or chain stores store stores of this country pledged themselves to do everything inS ing in ill their power to maintain prices price at reasonable levels level to 10 aid the farmer in keeping anti and expand expanding ins ing Ink his hi markets and to keep the time channels of or trade operating in a n normal orderly fashion A representative of tine the food chains chaim wrote President resident Roosevelt of o this pledge And Ant in reply the tine Chief Magistrate of the nation said I appreciate very munch much that organ in-d in food chain distributors di n c timer ther responsibility to the tine public in III whatever effects on or our domestic economy may be caused by the war in ill Europe I appreciate as well wen your recognition of the fact act that to achieve a proper balance Lalance in our na na- national na national economy the tine prices paid to farmers for their products should rise to a n level of o parity with the time prices of things the farmer has to tobay buy bay At the thc same time consumers ers er of food must mast be protected against runaway prices caused not by hy increases at the tine farm but by hy In Increases In- In increases creases crea es in Inn margins between the tine farmer and the grocery table lable We recognize reco nile that the existing experienced machinery for producing ing in and a distributing dl goods goads if that machinery is determined and le lein in its protection of 01 the public inter inter- ct tl t t alongside Government would be lIe the most inmost efficient instrument for or serving this public Iii Interest teresI which we all want allt to serve The organized independent store store- have made pledges ph similar to tu those tho ti nose c cof of tine the chains So have stores deal deal- I ing ung in other commodities than food And A this as the President t said in Inn effect is of vital ital significance to producer anti and consumer alike That Thai we have hale tine the most efficient and economical merchandising system and economical merchandising in system system tem the world has ever known known known-a a system brought to its present parent peak of o perfection by open opell competition no man can call gainsay There is every indication that this system is working harder than ever before to discharge its public obligation obligation gation which it thoroughly nines |