Show government by the people for the people or for the government chain and independent stores compete favorably N A publication of the kentucky retail food dealers association carri carries es an interesting co on the governments antitrust suit against the atlantic and pacific food chain system it said we overheard a conversation the other day that made a whale of a lot of sense A customer addressed a grocer saying just what are you trying to do close up A PV P his reply I 1 dont know too much about the case As far as we are concerned A P bother us at all we seem to be able to compete with them in most every respect and are kept pretty busy tending to our own business and customers this fight is not between the grocers and the A P it is between the government and the A P probably retailers with a similar attitude could be found in every locality in which this or any other chain has outlets the idea that there is or can be in retailing 0 is refuted by every main street in the country A typical town has independents and chains operating in direct competition side by side each has its following each is doing everything it can to please and attract customers A store for only one reason because people like it and spend their money across its counters in the past twenty years the proportion of total retail trade done by independents on the one hand and the chains on the other has hardley changed at all the independents do the largest part by far regardless of all the legal arguments the dominant force in retailing everywhere within our borders is free aggressive competition the governments monopoly action must be puzzling to merchants who have been successfully competing with A P and other chains for years |