New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-04
FISH DIET FOR A WEEK
Housewives League Head Issues
Decree to IT'S, 900 Members.
DEALERS TO COOPERATE
Mrs. Heath Aroused to Action by
Hearing About a Big Glut
on Market.
You are to have fish for dinner

You are 10 have fish for dinner.
What's that? You don't like fish TO,
+ dinner?
That doesn't make any difference, poo,
! man. The president Of the Housewives
League has spoken, and fish You shall
; have. It's not only for dinner tonight
! either. but for tomorrow night. and the
next night, and the night after that. 70,
Il is FISH week which has been decreec
by the housewives.
Word was sent forth from Headquarters
; last night sounding the alarm to the cap
tains of the cohorts, who flashed the news
over the wires to all the faithful By mid.
night 10000 housewives had been told that
FISH was on the market and meat was
taboo.
II is not that the women love meat less,
but that they love fish more
Mrs. Julian Heath president Of the
league, says that this is in no sense a
meat boycott; II is simply natural and
reasonable desire on the part Of the women
10 buy fish when it is cheap and meat lie
not cheap. When you can purchase fresh
porg!es, founders. butterfish and sea bass
for 10 and Is cents a pound, why pay 80
cents a pound for beefsteak. and then wall
about the cost OF living?
Mrs Heath visited the FISH vharves yes
terday morning and saw hoatload after
boatload Of beautiful. shiny slippery
fshes that made her mouth water, even
in their natural unfried state, they looked
so fresh and good. One boat had brought
in 20 r0 pounds OF sea bass and only 1000
pounds were sold. Almost none of those
went 10 New York dealers There was
man from Connecticut who bought ten
barrels OF bluefsh at 2lz cents a pound,
which he will sell at Q cents pound TO his
Yankee customers, and make good thing
out Of it, too; but the New York dealers
buy forty or fifty pounds Of FISH, to sell at
% or % cents a pound, and then complain
that there is nothing doing IN the fish
business except on Friday.
The idea" said Mrs. Heath. The
housewives don't know about this. OF
course. they'll buy fish II they are Informed
that it Is so cheap and good down here
shall send out word TO all the members
Of the league that fish IS cheap this week;
that they must not permit their dealers TO
sell il al high prices. and will just see II
We can't make an impression on this glut
on the market. It's ridiculous TO have all
this good food kept until Friday. The
women ought 10 buy it to-day"
Cheap Fish the Best.
Women" said Mrs. Heath. are afraid
Of cheap fish They must learn that II II
IS cheap il is more likely TO be good, be-
cause that means 1t is plentiful and must
be sold quickly ! know how 70 tell good
fish. was brought up in a fishing town,
and l often think what a crime ii is that
New Workers know so little about IT. You
can always tell a fresh fish by the bright
color Of the gills-cherry color. IL is
really-and by the clear eyes.
Mr.. Fishman was very glad to Cooper
te with 175. 900 buyers Of FISH and readily
agreed 10 inform Mrs Heath every morn
ing Just what kinds were best that day.
~ o'clock this morning, then. Mrs.
Heath will receive the latest market quo
tations. At her Office will be ready for
business a special assistant will sit at
the telephone-Riverside $3.50 70 answer
the inquiries Of 175, 900 housewives. who
vii! ask whether it's porgies or bluehsh
to-day and how much ought we TO pay.
please? The dealers at Washington Mar
ket promised Mrs Heath faithfully yes
terday afternoon that they wouldn't put
the price up Just because there was going
to be a rushing business. Other uptown
dealers have made the same agreement
and before the week Is over all the fish
men are expected 70 be in line.