The Detroit times., 1911-11-20
NEW YORK WOMEN WILL
INVESTIGATE FOOD SHOPS
Will Know All Prices and Be
Hostile To Dealers Who
Discriminate.


TODD is concerned. The new organiza-
ton, which aims, for the present, TO
reach housewives OF this city and in
New Jersey, provides that each wo-
man shall constitute herself an In
spector OF conditions at the shops OF
her tradesmen and report 10 the prop
er authorities conditions that are not
proper.
What we want is that each wo-
man will watch the market" says
Mrs. Heath, "and know the prices OF
foods in their fluctuations and bar
gain accordingly. She should know
IL her groceryman's shop Is clean, for
instance, and II produce there is
handled in sanitary way. She should
visit the man who bakes her bread
and cakes, who washes her linen and
and demand to be shown through the
place in order 10 satisfy her mind as
TO what conditions are.
I'VE are trying to reach women in
groups OF ten in this work" contin-
ued Mrs. Heath For instance, we
are writing to all women's clubs ask.
ing that the plan be put before their
members. Each woman In turn Is
asked to discuss the question with
nine OF her neighbors or friends, and
TO organize against the Vaccinations
OF the middlemen.
An Endless Chain.
In this way, we hope to have an
endless chain, which Will, in time. ex-
tend over the whole OF the United
States, but we must. have individual
fort. Women get together and say
hn 70 fttlf Drfn
going up all the time i get short
weight at such and such a store etc.;
and that is all they do do.
"A woman told me the other day
that In certain store she ordered
pickles. The man put his hand into
the barrel TO get them. She didn't
think ii was sanitary way Of doing
things. | asked her what she had
done In the case. She said Nothing
And she is an example Of what most
women are doing these days-or rath-
er not doing"
| Mrs. Heath was asked what she
thought of the Market club recently
organized by Mrs. Blocker Bangs OF
Brooklyn
1t Is a splendid scheme was the
answer, Sin so far as the reduction or
bills is concerned. Where one woman
buys for five or six, and gets whole
sale prices, there is possible great
saving But do the other women get
line on prices? Do they know what
conditions exist In shops, and are
they not shifting the responsibility
to the shoulders of one woman"
| In your groups of ten" she was
asked, would you approve the Mar
ket club?"
/ Eyes, | should" answered Mrs.
! Heath, but think each woman
should know OF prices and conditions,
even though one woman is doing all
( the buying Nevertheless, think the
solution to the reduction OF bills
comes under the principles proposed
In the Housewives league.
Dues Five Cents Year.
1--WE want to reach every one, rich,
poor and middle class, and for that
reason we have set our dues at five
cents year. We will have a pledge
card and a button, too"
Mrs Heath said communications
were coming in fast from women all
over the city and in New Jersey. The
Department of Health, the Bureau OF
Labor and the Commission of Weights
and Measures, she declared, have
heartily improved the scheme and
have promised to inquire into every
complaint sent In. Associate mem
bers, men and women who have no
households. will be accepted as mem
bers. with dues at 81 a year. This
money is TO be used to pay an inspect
or who shall observe conditions in
| the poorer quarters OF the city,
where, 1t is believed, It will he more
difficult TO impress housewives with
their personal responsibility in the
matter.
Mrs. Heath claims that the middle
nan. In some instances, sets his
prices in accordance with the appear
ance OF his customer.
Il have seen many a shopman,' she
said. "look at his customer when she
orders a box OF cocoa, for example,
and If she is well dressed boost his
price a couple of pennies. Personal.
Iiv | have always kept a close watch
on market quotations. One morning
the boy who comes for my order told
RE cocoa was "a cents. | told him 1t
was % cents. He argued with me for
moment anu lutu Shlu NOulh nave
II for % cents. told him he was
NOT doing me favor by coming down
I'm the price, because | knew the mar
ket value.
II then went TO his employer and
told him | should have to withdraw
nv custom il he insisted upon put
ting up the price Of articles he sold
me He claimed he did not do so. but
after a few moments argument he
said benevolently that IL at any time
I wasn't satisfied with the price Of A
purchase he would reduce IL. Which
of course, is nothing but an acknowl-
edgment of wrongdoing.
a Cheap Swindler.
"A woman just called me up today
to tell me OF an episode at the butch
er's. She said she ordered chopped
meat, which she saw weighed while
still in chunks. II was pound. She
received half a pound Of chopped
meat and went back Immediately
with It, The man insisted she had
fun weight. She told him TO look In
the grinder which he did He turn
ed the crank and half pound
emerged That is one phase Of the
short weight question which ! think
the commission has not yet gone into
| ~ aupuph