The Washington times., 1913-12-08
CORNER IN EGGS IS
NOT FAVORED HERE

"Washington's egg problem is not to
90 into the cold storage business and
compete with the merchants, but to go
before Congress and see that such legis-
Iation IS passed that will forever pre-
vent the return of J0-cenC egg prices"
This was the answer made today by
Mrs. Ellis Logan, president of the Dis
t1ict Fed -ation of Women's Clubs and
leader in the Washington egg boycott.
to a criticism by Mrs. William b. Derr.
president Of the Housekeepers' League
Of Philadelphia
Mrs. Derr. who conferred with several
club women active in the campaign for
lower prices, expressed sympathy with
the purpose of the Washington boy
cotters, but she said the women here
should follow the plan worked out in
Philadelphia of forcing down egg prices
by getting a corner on eggs them
selves.
Aid For Nation.
LAS / understand it, this is not our
proposition Mrs. Logan said, in reply
to the criticism. Il believe our fight
here is to get legislation that will make
the J0-cent egg an impossibility. We
are working here as the center of the
whole country. We must make our
plans, not only to settle our own prob
lem of nigh prices, but to help the en-
tire country in gaining relief
We believe that regulation of the
cold storage business SO that limits shall
be established for keeping goods in
storage will prevent "cornering" the
market, as is at present possible, This
is true not only of eggs, but of other
food products. The cooperative plan
would help here in Washington, as it
probably has helped Philadelphia but |
believe Washington can do more by aid
ing In the enactment of legislation tha:
Will strike at the root of the natter
Mrs. Derr Urges Corner.
Mrs. Derr in explaining the Philadel-
phia campaign. declared that it is use
less to try to win a campaign for lower
egg prices after the trust has stored up
the bulk of the supply and commands
the situation. What the women must
do is start their light in the early
spring, buJ large supply of eggs when
the prices are II or IS cents a dozen,
D.oCe ;i.efn III storage. under competent
supervision of 4 housewives league
and have them ready for distribution
to consumers at the lowest possible
prices during the following fall and
winter.
Philadelphia women saved consumers
of that city $l,O0O 90 last winter. Mrs.
Derr said, when they handled several
terests to reduce prices almost one-half
maintaining the cost at a lower level
curing the rest of the winter The
Philadelphia women now are planning
TO establish cooperative stores and
many OF the 300 women enlisted in the
movement. Mrs. Derr said, are wealthy
and prominent socially.
Success Met Here.
Mrs. Logan declared that such
movement az this might he beneficial
in Washington. But we haven't had
since last April to plan," she said
''Mc had to take mold at the moment
OF necessity, and Nc feel that the re-
duced egg prices in Washington last
week show our movement to he a sue
Cess The petitions circulated by the
Washington club women are being
gathered up by Mrs. Logan today and
the next step will be to plan means of
submitting the tens of thousands OF
names TO the House committee con-
sidering the cold storage and food regu-
lauon measures as an evidence that the
housewives are vitally Interested in fur
therng this legislation