The evening world., 1917-02-24
DILLON TO RESIGN,
IS RUMOR;; 625CARS
OF FOOD REACH CITY
Commissioners Absence From
the City at Critical Time
Causes Comment.


mcnts In tho food situation;
FIRST-Commission Dillon, head
OF the Food and Markets Department,
has been absent from his ONCE for
three days and there are rumore in
the wholesale district that he is about
10 resign. ITO will not be back here
before Tuesday OF Wednesday. The
Commissioner Is in Atlantic City, ao-
cording TO members OF his family.
The New York Produce News printed
m editorial this morning asking why
the Commissioner is not on the Job
at such time.
SECOND-william Mason. pur-
chasing agent for all the Chiid's res
taurants in Greater New York, says
there never was a shortage OF food
In New York and that II there had
been at any time purchasing agents
for great concerns, such as his, would
be the first TO feel IT,
THIRD-Foodstufrs came in by rail
and water to-day Just about per
cent short OF the actual normal
supply brought In daily 20 the city.
The absence OF tho head OF the Food
and Markets Department has been
tho talk OF wholesalers and retailers
for tho last forty eight hours. AZ the
ONCE Of tho department are several
clerks. but nobody appears to be
actually representing the Commits
sioner.
The Produces News editorial says:
What has happened to our De-
pnrtment OF Food and Markets.
created by the State OF New York
TO look into market supplies and tho
like7 For tho past week ono OF the
greatest revolutions ever known IN
tho trade has been going on. Yet
we have not heard one word from
the department created to look after
food supplies. What is tho matter,
| Commissioner
Mason answers to-day the charge
Of speculators In food products that
tho high prices are due to shortage" I"
"All gun" he said. "It there was
any natural shortage OF foodstutfs in
this city--and am talking only
about the city-we would know It,
| We would feel II. We would have
difficulty in getting the food In the
large quantities we want IL We
have never had any aim Guilty in get
ting food OF any kind. can 20 out
now and buy a bushei or a carload
OF potatoes or onions or carats or
meats or anything we use in cooking
meals.
But wo have to pay tho price for
what we buy. and it's some price
What do ! think about the price
boosting2 Well. there Is something
wrong, somewhere. My idea is that 1,
10 between tho dealer and tho pro.
ducer-somewhere between those two
points.
up 10 last fall We were paying
from 27 TO 80 per cent. more for ouI
foodstuffs than the fall before. Since
last fall We have been paying from
10 to 10 per cent, over the prices ther
prevailing"
The point TO keep in mind. too. is
that Mason buys his foodstuffs in
largo quantities, Food continues to
come into tho city.
During last night 625 carloads OF
foodstuffs Of all kinds cAme in by rail
and water. The onions that arrived
yesterday are still lying ON the docks
The Jewish housewives have a boycott
on against live fowl. l.. q. Foy sent
out a warning to-day saying that this
boycott Is not just
My idea mas been TO help the people
Of this town to know their rights In
respect of all foods" ho said. but l
would not like to see any section OF
our people do any man or men an in
| jury.
Through Tho Evening World ]
have repeatedly stated there never
was shortage OF foodstuffs. The
reports OF the railroads and steam
ship lines confirm this. Another
thing, we don't want anybody to feed
us on rlce That Is n charitable af-
fair unworthy OF New York. Just
mako the spectators reduce the
| prices. Arrest them now and compel
them to accept n reasonable profit"
|