New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-23
STORAGE PLANTS
ARE FOUND FILLED
Continued from page l


consumers. Of course, are not organ
ized and the pressure all comes from
one side. When the people rise up and
demand that they get what they want,
or what is just, they will get it-not
before. loo for movement among
the housewives that will result in the
solution of the whole cost of living
problem.
women already are doing great
work in this direction. They know
what they want, and they are setting
about getting il through organization.
In a short time the politicians will
find that the pressure is not all exert
ed one way when it comes to action
on the cost-of- living problem"
In the afternoon Mayor Mitchell held
n conference with Leonard M. Wall
stein, special commissioner assigned
TO the investigation of the coal situa-
ton; Commissioner Hartigan and
other department representatives &C
tive in the campaign to force down
prices of all kinds of food. With the
exception of q statement issued by the
Mayor, in which il was announced shat
a bill 20 give the necessary author
ity TO open a central market here was
being drafted, nothing concerning the
suggestions put forward at this meet
ing was made known.
May Ask Congress to Act
II was learned. however, that the pos
sible passing of maximum price bills
by Congress might be requested unless
some other method Of meeting the
present cost Of living were devised. In
this connection one Of the Mayors as
sociates said several civic organizations
were planning to appoint committees to
call upon their Representatives for such
legislation If such q move became nee
ossary.
"They argue that if the government
has the right to control the price OF
passenger service on the railways, of
electricity, gas and telephone service in
the city, there is no reason why it
should not be permitted to control the
prices Of food, for which the wage
Garner spends at least 40 per cot of
his earnings" said this official "Of
course, it would take a constitutional
amendment TO permit the passage of
such legislation, but ] feel certain that
\ will come in time, just as 1t has al
ready come in Australia. Under this
Australian system, | noted in The Trib-
une yesterday, prices are much lower,
even with the country involved in a
great war, than they are in times Of
peace"
Representative Murray Hubert of
New York is planning to offer the first
bill having to do with the food situa-
ton at the opening of the next session
of Congress. In this measure he will
endeavor to obtain for fresh supplies
handled on railroads the same consid-
Grafton given United States mails-that
is, that they will have preference over
all other freight.
Should such measure be passed by
Congress it would not only aid the city
in obtaining its fresh supplies from
the rural districts of the country, but
would make it as impossible for rail-
road strike to tie up the food OF the
nation as it is to-day for such strike
to prevent the delivery of mail.
Edward A. Hageman, grain buyer for
the Allies in this country, returned to
New York yesterday after a tour Of
the wheat and corn belt, with the pre-
diction that bread riots, such as had
been known in England half century
ago, would be seen in this country II
the war continued much longer. He
declared that all evidences pointed to
SO wheat, which would make IL i'm
possible for bakers to obtain -four with
which to bake bread that could be sold
at anything short Of prohibitive prices.
The lack Of grain and the still greater
shortage Of farm labor, he said, seemed
certain 10 bring Gbout the most disas-
trous conditions, economically. that
this country ever has fnown.
Ln. Aor NJ v, o.
more and more grain from this coun-
try, and prices. as a consequence, will
soar" he said. THE United States is
the logical place to buy wheat for Eu-
rope. because 1t is the short haul coun-
try-it can be sent abroad so much
more readily, speedily and cheaply.
Russia's Grain Tied Up
"Russia's grain is tied up and In
dia's is too far away. Prices will de-
pend almost exclusively upon the de-
mand on the other side of the water.
There il almost no limit TO the prices
that may be paid"
Even The Street Cleaning Department
added its quota of information TO the
general fund of facts concerning high
Trices yesterday. Figures collected by
that department showed that d ,
amount OF garbage collected during the
last two weeks on the East Side and
other poorer districts had dropped more
than 20 per cent. This decrease, ac-
cording to Frederick l.. Stearns. SUI
perintendent of final disposition for tho
department, is directly traceable TO the
high cost of living. Families living in
those districts. he said. either were
buying much less than in normal times