The Detroit times., 1913-01-27

The seven chapters recently or
gained in Detroit. by the House
wives league, are developing so pow
erful an activity in the purchasing
Of household supplies direct from the
| farmers. that they are proving that
! when women put their shoulders &c
| the wheel Of progress, in whatever
form, they make II a success.
In a recent number OF Harper's
true public spirit, as differing from
the ordinary conception OF the idea,
is admirably depicted in al article
by Arnold Bennett, the English
author. After describing apartment
life, as he # In New York city,
with It's deplorable habit OF tipping.
in order TO get the plain necessities
OF good living, Mr.. Bennett says:
He (the tenent) ought TO have or
ganiZed committee OF protest; to
have convened meetings for the out
let OF public opinion; TO have per-
severed until the management had
been forced to exclude UNBEATABLE
chops and steaks from their prem
ises. In the end, IL would have
dawned upon the management that,
inedible food was as much out Of
place In the restaurant, as counter
felt bills at the cash desk. This
proper course would have been diff
feult and tiresome. The proper
course often is. True public spirit
Is, in fact, very tedious work. 1t
implies, getting eatable chops by
honest means mot by tips) chiefly
for oneself, but incidentally FOR
everybody else.
This Is what the Housewives
league is doing. Possessing, and
putting into daily practice, the true
public spirit, they are getting the
everyday necessities OF life cheaper,
without reducing the quality, for
themselves. and eventually, for every
BODY who desires true economy. The
league has secured potatoes and ap-
pies at greatly reduced prices. and
there is fair prospect that other
commodities, In daily use in every
household will be procured for rea-
sonable sums.
Many individuals at the present
time are getting butter and eggs
from suburban towns, but the freight
end delivery charges are go high that
there is nothing TO be gained from
money standpoint, the only advan-
tage heing In the assurance that the
goods are not of the cold storage
variety. But by ordering In carload
lots, the cost is greatly diminished.
the quality assured, and the indi-
vidual is satisfied that the several
middlemen are left out OF the profits.
This has been done, but IL has been
no easy task on the part OF the d.
rector OF the league. II has meant
long drives into the country, not al
ways In the most agreeable weather,
farmers interviewed, market prices
studied and discussed, pretudices
overcome, and a thorough canvass
made OF individual interests. Com
pare market prices as they are quot
ed in the daily papers. with the
amount housewives pay:
Market prices sugar. S355n405 per
Darrell. coffee. goa 32c per 10. Gran
berries. 81 per bushel: apples Sl@ : q
per barrel. cabbage. S1d1 .25 per oar
rel: potatoes. asa soc per bushel. -four.
$3.50 n $50 per barrel
Prices we pay: sugar. Sc per ID.
coffee. 30Nf 40c per III. cranberrlos.. lVW
l5c per Ut; apples, 56t l5c per ~. cab
bage 5dl0c each: potatoes. T5Gs0c per
Dushel Hour. 7Snse per sack t2ils
lbsD.
Therfrousewives OF Detroit need no
more convincing argument than a
visit 10 our groceries, even To the
markets, 10 convince them that II IS
time they banded together. to lower
the prices OF many OF these commo-
dities. As individuals we can do
almost nothing, but as a hand OF de-
termined women, we can do great
deal How many are aware that u
| is against the law TO sell a heavy
paper. costing one-half cent per
pounde with a podnd OF butter at 32
or 80 cents? know the law, then
watch your grocer.