The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-11-30
Bot TOM DROPS
OUT OF PRICES
IN NEN YORK
PRICES TUMBLE WHEN
PUBLIC WON'T BUY
Semi-Panic Among Dealers IN
Turkeys When lnvestl-
CATION Starts.

NEW YORK, Nov. 29.-What was
declared TO be one Of the most remark
able food situations in the history of
the nations great feast day ewes dcFrl-
nped here today. On one hanQ the!e
was Il Semi.panlc among dealers IN
the Thanksgiving turkey market aS
result of The public's refusal 10 Duy
ut the prices demanded, IT. was an
Inouncpd BY Joseph Hartigan, conf
missioner of weights and measures.
On the other hand call for con-
rerIed public uprising against the
high cost of living WAS issued here
hv Mayor Cornelius +. Burns OF Troy,
who advocated proclamatiOnS by the
governors Of all the states and mayors
Of all he cities of the country TO be
published broadcast and read in the
schools and churches settings days for
a series of bOycoltS against nigh
priced foods.
MIR. lIartigan made his announce
ment as to the panic conditions lo!-
lowing an investigation into the pouI-
Try markets. He found, he said, thai
large quantities OF turkeys. chickens
land geese had been shipped here from
! the west by the raiserS in the rXDccja-
ilon Of high prices.
but the public is being scared OF
by the excessive price Of the last lew
| days" he said.
The price of IS cents 10 10 cents
which now prevails is so hiGh that
! retailers stale that the public indi-
cafes it will not buy. for The price is
beyond lis means.
! The dealers are finding. he said.
their stocks on their hands in cold
! storage and on their stalls. feeling
; that III the public were 10 pay the
, high prices they would establish Il
precedent which would mean the same
! high prices at Christmas and New
! Years.
! They were predicting better eIev-
,enih hour sales when the prices
; dropped, he said.
Caused Less Buying.
The egg boycott. be said, has; pro
duced less buying and in self defense
The dealers have been obliged TO reduce
! The price in order 10 induce pur-
chases."
| The fact that 5000 more barrels of
, potatoes were received this year han
( last during the two days before
Thanksgiving, and that potatoes are
now selling for $3.50 and IS Il barrel,
! as against the recent price Of 81. indl-
/ Gates. he said. q recession ri potato
! buying by the public. and that ,nc Top
price has been passed. rh, farmer,
: he said. lis showing his potatoes on the
market" lest he be caugn! VIA them
On his hands.
! 1T is significant thai last year y fen
we had bumper crop OF potatoes.
said Mr.. Harrigan. there Were less TO-
tatoes shipped here al this uir." Than
this year. when there is N alleged
shortage This years cranberry re-
reipts here are also far in excess Of
last. he said.
Mayor Burns. who is president OF he
! New York State conference Of mayors,
in additions To proClamationS by State
! and municipal executives. advocated
cooperation of housewives leagues.
moving picture theatres and labor or
! gani2atons in The attack on the high
, cost of living.
People Have Power.
The greatest power in this country
! is the people. ami il is up 10 them TO
exercise that power in RELEASING them
! selves from the greed and oppression
; of the monopolistS and maEipuIatorS,
he said. The simplest. most effective
and direct way of accomplishing a
breaking down of eXtortiNnHt" prices IS
through abstaining for Il 9er!Od from
the use of those articles rf food on
! which the prices are CEnrDitAnt. !Acle
should be State AM Na;inn-wld"
movement 10 this end.
He also suggested the cooperation
OF the press and notice of the move
mcnt by business houses Of all kinds
"by permitting all workers TO cease ac'
tivities from l1:53 a. II. 10 l. noon on
the first Monday of the Campalgn. For
work on national lines. he suggested
take action
endorsing the movement and the en-
}istment and encouragement from the
President. 80 that from Washington
NAV be sent broadcast throughout the
country the suggestion that the gov,
ernors of all States and mayors or ali
cities may issue proclamationS and
; take similar action. and the movement
be made effective by the nation as
whole. 81
He said il was planned 10 start the
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