162 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



and all kinds of perishable products. The purpose 

 of the warehouse is to create conditions similar to 

 those that obtain in non-perishable products whose 

 price remains the same throughout the year. If 

 storage were provided for any one who desired it 

 at a low rate it would be almost impossible for 

 monopoly to exist, for monopoly becomes increas- 

 ingly difficult as the number of persons engaged in 

 a business is increased. If the farmer, the buyer, 

 the wholesale and retail dealer as well as the con- 

 sumer himself were able to buy and store for the 

 future, combinations to keep up price would be next 

 to impossible. Under such conditions the most 

 perishable produce would have a competitive value, 

 just as has clothing, furniture, machinery, dry 

 goods, or any other cormnodity whose value is de- 

 termined by the cost of production rather than the 

 abihty of those who control it to effect a corner.^ 



The terminal warehouse should be provided with 

 auction-rooms for auctioning produce at public sale 

 in bulk. Here daily sales of consignments could be 

 made to retailers as is now done by the private 

 consignees in the large cities. Only, under existing 

 conditions the consignees and auction brokers are 

 too often in collusion. They fix artificial prices and 

 work in co-operation with the railroads, commission- 



* For a description of how terminal warehouses owned by the state 

 operate to protect the farmer and the buyer, see Chapter XI, on 

 "How Austraha Controls the Food Problem." 



