Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1918 — Put Stamp Of Approval On Cash And Carry System. [ARTICLE]

Put Stamp Of Approval On Cash And Carry System.

Indiana grocers have put their stamp of approval on the cash-and carry plan, and the indications are that the delivery systems are doomed to go out of business, until the end of the war. Nearly one hundred delegates chosen to represent the grocers of their respective counties, in the state, summoned ■to Indianapolis Wednesday for a conference with Dr. Harry Barnard, Federal food inspector of Indiana, reached the decision after hearing a stirring message from national food administrator, Hoover. The delegates almost to a man, voted‘on the resolution favoring the plan as outlined by the national food administration and soon to be bulletined throughout the United States as an official order. “This is a war measure only,” said Stanley Wuckoff, Marion county Federal food-- ‘administrator, “and Mr. Hoover said he was looking to Indiana to set an example for the entire country in one of the most important steps that can be taken to help win the war. After the war you may go back to the old way of selling your groceries, if you eare tor and I doubt you will after trying this plan.”

Representatives of the grocers convened at ten o’clock Wednesday morning and the first question brought up was one fixing the reasonable basis of profit iThis was passed and slips were distributed to the delegates, who were asked to fix the lowest percentage of profit on stated commodities that would enable them to continue in business. The question then came up of the cash-and-carry plan, Dr. Bernard defending it as the salvation of the small grocery from encroachments of the chain stores and t£e mail order houses. The grocers were of the opinion that the government’s proposition did away with the delivery System altogether, and seemed to be unconvinced until Mr. Wychoff gave the following explanation: “I am bringing a personal message to you from Herbert Hoover,the national food administrator, who gives his full sanction to the cash and cary plan and urges its adoption as a war measure the same as the meatless and wheatless days. He believes it will mean a saving of 8 to 12 per cent for the groceryman afiif where the grocer saves, the consumer will save. More saved for food means that the people will buy more bonds and the government is going to need every spare dollar to win the war. In addition to the saving of money it will conserve manpower and the shipyards and other war plants are badly in need of men. There isn’t a grocery store in Germany, Austria, or France, and they are rapidly going in England, because these governments realized that the space between the producer and the consumer must be reduced. The abolishment of the grocery store is the one thing that this government wants to avoid, and it is the firm belief of Mr. Hoover that the cash-and-carry plan will solve the problem.” -/•’ I, “Mr. Hoover personally told me,” continued Mr. Wyckoff, “that he is looking to Indianapolis and Indiana to set an example for the United States. America must feed the west line and England and France if we want to win this war. We have only scratched the surface, regulation has only started.” Mr. Wyckoff explained that the cash and carry plan did not mean the end .of the delivery or credit systems, but that if the customer wanted his goods delivered or wanted credit he must pay a bonus. A resolution was also passed with enthusiasm asking the fuel administrator to issue an order closing all food stores on Sunday. resolution was also adopted calling for one delivery a day or a co-operative plan. Will H. Hays stirred the delegates with a patriotic address in which he called ori them to help stem the German tide which threatened to sweep away all of the high principles to which this nation is consecrated.