Readjustments in the Retail Grocery Business

WITH the formation of the United States Food Administra- ' ' tion, it was generally believed that a general reform of the methods of distributing food would ensue.The wish was father to the thought.But the very things which the Food Administration had to do made reform impossible.It was neces- sary to secure the full cooperation of the wholesale and retail dis- tributors in every step undertaken; and that could not have been done had the Food Administration sought to force reforms in their methods.The best that could be hoped for was that excessive profiteering would be prevented; and this task the Food Administration accomplished splendidly.Even in the fixing of fair prices, however, allowances had to be made sufficiently broad to protect the inept and shiftless distributors, so as to keep the whole machinery in smooth operation for the great purpose in view.And so we find ourselves, at the dissolution of the Food Ad- ministration, with the problems of distribution just where they were before; rather worse, if anything, because of the precedents set in the matter of &dquo;fair prices&dquo; and the abandonment of free delivery service.Nevertheless the problem of the ever rising cost of food is one which will not down, and its solution one of those which must be found during the period of reconstruction.The world has a debt of $200,000,000,000 to liquidate.All busi- ness is seeking methods which will eliminate waste.And those practices in the distribution of food which cost money yet make no one a profit must be gotten rid of.The most important raw material which enters into manufac- ture is the food of the laborer.Nearly half of his wages go for the purchase of food.The bill for inferior food and for food which costs more than it should is handed to the manufacturer for liquidation.The problem roots too deeply to be neglected by our busi- ness interests

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