The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-12-06
High Prices Drive Historic
Bird off Menu.
pOULTRYMEN NEAR TO PANIC
An Attempt is Being Made To
Organize a NatiOn--Wide
Boycott.
EGGS ARE DROPPING SLIGHTLY

markable food situations in the his
tory of the nations great feast da!
there was a semi-panic among deal
ors in the Thanksgiving market as q
result of the public's refusal to buy
at the prices demanded, it was an
nounced by Joseph Hartigan, Com
missioner of Weights and Measures
On the other hand, a call for a con.
certed public Uprising against the
high cost of living was issued here
by Mayor Cornelius +. Burns, OF
Troy, who advocated proclamations
by the Governors of all the States
and Mayors of all the cities of the
country to be published broadcast
and read in the schools and churches
setting days for a series of boycotts
against high-priced foods.
Mr.. Hartigan made his announce
ment as to the panic conditions fol-
lowing AN investigation into the
poultry markets. He found, he said,
that large quantities of turkeys,
chickens and geese had been skipped
here from the West by the raisers in
the expectation of high prices.
Public Scared or.
But the public is being scared off
IL = tn l.,
few days" he said. THE price of
IS cents to A. cents, which now pre-
walls. is so high that retailers state
that the public indicates it will not
buy, for the price is beyond its
means
The dealers are finding, he said,
their stock on their hands in cold
storage and on their stalls, feeling
that eff the public were to pay the
high prices they would establish a
precedent which would mean the
same high prices at Christmas and
New Years" They were predicting
better eleventh-hour sales when the
prices dropped, he said.
The egg boycott, he said, has pro-
duced less buying, and lin self-de-
Tense the dealers have been obliged
to reduce the price in order to in
duce purchases"
The fact that 5000 more barrels
of potatoes were received this year
than last during the two days be-
fore Thanksgiving and that potatoes
are now selling for $3.50 and S. a
barrel as against the recent price of
81, indicates, he said. a recession of
potato buying by the public and that
the top price has been passed. THE
farmer" he said, lis showing his po-
tatoes on the market" lest he be
caught with them on his hands.
1T is significant that last year
when We had a bumper crop of po-
tatoes." said Mr.. Hartigan, there
were less potatoes shipped here at
this time than this year. when there
is an alleged shortage" This years
cranberry receipts here are also far
in excess of last. he said.
Cooperation Urged.
Mayor Burns, who is president of
the New York State Conference of
Mayors. in addition to proclamations
by State and municipal executives,
advocated the cooperation Of house
wives leagues, moving picture
houses and labor organizations in
the attack on the high cost OF liv-
ing.
THE greatest power in this coun-
try is the people and il is up to
them to exercise that power in re-
leasing themselves from the greed
and oppression of the monopolists
and manipulators," he said. THE
simplest, most effective and direct
way of accomplishing a breaking
down of extortionate prices is
through abstaining for a period
from the uses of those articles Of
food on which the prices are exor-
bitant. There should be State and
nationwide movement to this end"
He also suggested the co-opera-
tion of the press and notice of the
movement by business houses of all
kinds "by permitting all workers to
cease activities from 1885 a. m. to
~ noon on the first Monday of the
campaign" For work on national
lines he suggested petitioning Con-
gressmen TO take action indorsing
the movement and the enlistment Of
encouragement from the President.
80 that from Washington may be
sent broadcast throughout the coun-
try the suggestion that the Govern
Ors Of all States and the Mayors OF
all cities may issue proclamations
and take similar action, and the