New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-03
Calls Two Butter and Egg
Rodies "Price-FiXing
Monopolies"
HOPES TO CURB
THEM IN 3 WAYS
Incoming Supplies Greater
as Growing Boycott
Forces Prices Down

,...,..ed supplies OF fresh food
- ,,to the New York market from
- point Of the compass yesterday
80 down the already weakening
80, IN many instances and serving
,,r ammunition for the housewives
ara banded together in a fight
,,,lpst the high cost Of living.
p. the fair food price organizations
-. not satisfied 10 let their cause
-. with partial victories. Under John
Tnrio1 State Market Commissioner,
s,.sek upon the Mercantile and the
e-.ssr and Egg exchanges as price TX
=. r,o,opoGes WAS outlined. legal &C
-. -, ~ compel the marking Of all cold
800 eggs after 9 o'clock tomorrow
Gaming was planned and a second
-,;;ng Of retailers and consumers OF
80 citv called by Joseph hartgan,
csrnissioner o. Weights and Meas
sres
-. ~ The new American Woman's
Vovement 20 Conserve the Food Supply
,.vssie5 the fact that not only were
dealers In eggs suffering because Of the
boveott. many selling less than half
.lsir normal supply. but that butter
~ ofber commodities were being made
The target OF automatic boyeotts due to
iousewives' economy The result was
F, rtrcral falling of Of prices IN nearly
,veyvthing used on the table Of the
average New Yorker.
Retail Drop Not Felt
Complaints were made in some in
,,tpces. however. that the small grocers
srd dellcstessen keepers were not Civ
ipg consumers the benefit OF the drop
IN prices. Although the Wholesale
priee Of eggs from cold storage houses
vas So cents a dozen. four cents less
t.tn week ago. many small dealers
charged as high as s. and so cents for
his Grade. in most stores however,
storage eggs sold for 40 70 AZ cents a
dozen
Creamery butter also dropped two
and one-half cents 8 pound yesterday,
leaving the best grade al 39-2 TO 40
cents wholesale. A somewhat larger
reduction i'm the retail price IN many
stores was reported by Investigators.
M. Dillon said he was convinced that
The two exchanges now dealing in eggs
we're monopolstlc and should he closed
vp Tie added that he had three meth
DDS of attack. oil Of which would be
used unless the exchanges could be
forced out OF business by milder plans
o. procedure.
Few Control Nations Prices
On the first place. about twelve men
on these exchanges actually have the
handling Of their affairs. and. although
they 90 not actually deal IN more than
8 per cent Of The supplies consumed
by New York. they make the prices
Tor tho nation Nr. Dillon explained.
1T is improper 10 give such powers TO
any twelve men. especially when they
use them 90 gamble ON The nations
food and push prices up or down 10
suit their own fancy.
Zone commission man admitted 10
nc that the paying or premiums above
market price. as is being done al pres
cnt, was unfair and could not be car
ned on without the power 10 manipu-
late the market quotations For in
stance, no New York dealer can agree
70 pay q producer cents above the
narket price on eggs or butter unless
- has a hand i1 making am artificial
suoied price
Il vii use testimony now available
% prosecute q suit for the revocation
o. the charters of these organizations.
% ask for a law at the next session OF
ne state LeCi stature making 10 Illegal
70 operate such closed exchanges, or
70 DIVE them cut OF business through
5H Of the terminal market now under
eonnderstion. One Of the three plans
norld be sufficient 20 close them up,
tui an ready 20 use them all II nee
sHry.'
Ready TO Sell Eggs
During the day the commissioner re-
t,ired 100 cases Of cold storage eggs.
which, be announced, he was ready 70
tll % they could be retailed for 80
cents dozen-the price he regards
" The present normal figure for cold
Eorsge eggs. Moreover, he said more
y Es would arrive every day next week
~ tnis purpose and that prices would
.nn De forced down. no matter what
'eaon the cold storage interests might
axe % maintain high prices
commissioner Hartigan received tel
grams from ". B. Cspes, secretary Of
lhe New York Conference OF Mayors.
.aa from Mayor Cornelius Burns Of
''oS outlining plan for bringing
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