SPECULATION IN FOOD

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23318, 2 May 1941, Page 9

SPECULATION IN FOOD

GOODS CHANGE HANDS MANY TIMES HIGH PRICES TO THE CONSUMER (Received May 1, 8 p.m.) (U.PA.) LONDON, April SO. Evidence that the public is Mini robbed by speculators who traffic profitably in foods in short supply WM revealed by Sir Douglas McCralth, chairman of the Food Price investigation Committee in the North Midland region. ... .. "Speculation is rampant,” he said, "and goods are changing ownership many times, like stocks and snares, without even leaving the warehouse. People who do not render service in distribution are enriching themselves at the expense of the consumer. Prices to the public have risen out of ail reasonable : proportion and have contributed considerably to the increase in the cost of living, with inevitable discontent. Sir Douglas McCraith Quoted a cas* of a dozen cans of soup supplied by a manufacturer at 6s fid which, after passing' through the hands of seven middlemen, were retailed at 14s fid. One middleman appeared twice in tha transactions, buying and Belling Ih* same soup each time profitably, t Sir Douglas McCraith also quoted an ’ instance of canned marmalade sold by an importer at BJd a tin which, after passing through the hands of three middlemen, was retailed at 3S fid a tin. ■ ” 0 Members of the House of Commons to-day accused the Ministry Of Food of belated action, , inattention to rocketing prices, mishandling of voluntary rationing and ignorance of the activities of food racketeers. . During March, there were 2141 prosecutions under the food control orders, of which 1994 were successful. CABLE MESSAGES IN BRIEF Forest Fire* Sweep YbrkSlato. , —The Governor of New York (Mr H. H. Lehman) has closed. New . yotti vast forest preserve to the public as. a - raging forest fire has consumed thousands of acres of timber in the eastern Adirondacks.' Sixty other Urea are reported throughout the state,—New . York, April 30. No Post for General Johneon.—Mr Roosevelt has refused .to reappoint General Hugh Johnson as a brigadiergeneral in the. Army Reserve, Corps. In recent months General Johnson, M * columnist and' lecturer, has severely criticised Mr Roosevelt’s policy.—New York, April S9. ILS. GARRISONS IN CHINA JAPANESE REPORT WITHDRAWAL TOKYO, April 30. The Peiping correspondent, of th* - Dome! News Agency states that the United States is expected to withdraw her garrison,, forces soon from north China,: with the first batch of ?0 firofn Peiping andSOfrom Tientsin, leaving on May 18. for Manila.by waypf Shanghai. United States marines, of whom there are 200 .at Peiping, and 330 at. Tientsin, will also be withdrawn. •