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Show FEDERAL MARKET i BUREAUREPORT Efforts to Keep Down Cost of ''. x Food Prices Are Out- lined. ,-i Washington, Dec. 12. Efforts to keep down the cost of food by bringing producer and consumer closer together togeth-er er are outlined in the annual report today of the federal bureau of markets. mar-kets. Some of the things accom- plished in this direction include extendi exten-di slon of the bureau's market news service; ser-vice; study of economic methods of ; food distribution and transportation, ; experimental work and parcel post f shipment of foods; investigation Of co-,( co-,( operative purchasing and marketing 'i and plans for munition public mar- !kets. Plans were developed during the year for investigation of foreign markets mar-kets for American farm products and for assisting in developing an export i trade in foodstuffs. 'I In this connection problems to be ' taken up first will be those that give the best promise of early result, the report sets forth. Europe, South j America and China will receive spec-3 spec-3 ial attention. The marketing of fruita and vegetables, especially of the less J perishable varieties, will be studied 5 with a view to developing the foreign demand. . i Economics Should Be Practiced. Washington,' Dec. 12. Government officials made it plain today that while they are conducting inquiries I into the high cost of living and plan- j ning grand jury action against any J who have conspired to maintain ! prices, the principal remedies must como through economies and co-opera- 5 tlon of the public. They recommend- ! ed that persons buy as little food- : 1 stuffs as possible and seek food sub- ; stitutes for high priced articles in many cases. Better methods of trans- ; porting necessities of living to con- sumers and increased production by farmers were other direct remedies ' suggested. ; Department of justice officials con-t con-t tinued, however, to study reports on I the coal and food conditions and President Wilson waB giving thees re-ports re-ports close attention. Closer secrecy ; was maintained than heretofore to prevent pre-vent information which later may be j given to grand juries from reaching interests under surveillance. |