The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-23
"Mother' Jones Arrives to
Take Hand; Other Agita-
tors Are on Way.
D. S. AGENTS LOOKING
INTO PLOT REPORTS
Strike of Is, 900 School Chill
dren Is New Protest
Scheme.

consested quarters OF the city. but they
took a fresh turn. Instead OF attacking
hucksters and overturnlng pushcarts the
women who have been stirred to action
by the high prices of food spent their
energies in attacking shoppers with
parcels in their arms. 1t was the first
step in a boycott of dealers which will
involve a half million poor women within
week. so leaders boosted. There were
a score of arrests. Evidence Of profess
sional agitation multiplied.
While these active demonstrations
hundred trained investigators, princi-
pally from the Department Of Charities.
Inquired into living conditions. Their
eports nave not yet been formulated.
but the preliminary survey demonstrated
hat the cases OF starvation and desti-
tution are far less general than has
been represented.
Inquiry into the report that the pub
lie outbursts have been bought and paid
FOR with foreign money is In progress
under the direction OF the Department
Of Justice. William NJ. Ofley, chief of
the local bureau, had a dozen Of his
agents at work. No arrests have re-
suited, but the basis Of partial truth. at
least, has been established by these men.
Railroad situatiOn Easier.
The railroads of the country, espe-
c!ally those which carry produce and
other food to the East. report relief Of
the car shortage. Consequently there
has been an increase Of shipments from
the West.
General increases in all food prices in
the city are not due to the retailers
inspectors under the direction of Joseph
j. Hartigan. Commissioner OF Weights
and Measures. have satisfied themselves.
The retailers are selling at minimum
profit basis, the inspectors concluded.
The warehouses In New York and
vicinity are stocked with meats and pro-
visions far beyond the quantity they held
year ago At the present time there are
l6j,062,136 pounds Of frozen and cured
meats IN storage. an excess Of 2~.S per
cent. above the store held in 1919. The
figures for butter. eggs and cheese are
far lower than thosAof a year ago.
But OF the vast hoard OF meats now
in storage the bulk has been contracted
for or is being held in prospect Of con-
tract for export trade. Another inn
portant factor in keeping the prices up
lies in the man9uvring OF the Fo' \
SPECTATORS. Thousands Of tons oc food
are being held for still greater advances
One Of the tricks employed by the specu-
lators Is that Of reconsigning carloads to
await market boosting.
4 Typical Instance.
The following instance is typical: A
carload OF onions was bought near
Syracuse and put on the rails there for
Boston. 1t vas sold at the prevailing
price in Boston and the speculator
shipped II to Philadelphia. 1t was dis
posed Of there at a profit and shipped
to Chicago for the advantage to be
gained in the market there. The third
speculator sent 1t on to New York.
where 1t commanded the top price. 1t
was in transit three weeks and gained In
value at each stopping place.
This practice IL more or less general.
u can he INDUCED In because the rail-
roads are restrained from increasing
their charges for reconsignment Thou
sands OF cars now on sidings are detained
indefinitely for this source of profit.
Naturally this adds much to the car
shortage and hurts the trade Of the en-
tire country.
With the successful advent OF Sweet
OF the spirits who take advantage OF
every occasion OF discomfort lifted up
voices that have been quiescent since the
W, w. agitatons were suppressed two
years ago Mother" Jones has come to
town and to-day or tomorrow intends 70
lead her sex In public demonstrations.
From Philadelphia, Chicago and the Pa
chc coast innumerable apostles OF unrest
are focking to New York to gain what
'Aey can Of the certain publicity and the
reported profit.
Incipient agltators have cropped up
Y every street Of the East Side. in
Brownsville. Brooklyn and Harlem,
They moved through the tenement sec
,ons in squads and made them unsafe
Tor shoppers. Purchased vegetables OF
al kinds were dumped into the streets
nags containing the Sabbath shopping
o. the Jewish population were scattered
and retail business came to a practical
ttandstill
BiE school strike Planned.
a committee Of ten. with power to cal
The 1000 school children OF Williams,
oHfg out on strike next week as pro-
test against the increasingly high cost OF
'oods'uffs was appointed last night at q
mass meeting OF 1000 women in the
New Plaza Han. at Grand and Have
meyer streets. Williamsburg, under th'
auspices Of the Suffering Mothers As
s'ciation Of Willia msburg. Five mem
OefS OF the committee will represent tho
dsSorla'ion; the others were chosen from
no membership OF tie 'Iiavcmcyer Stree
'lshcart Pedlers Association.
The mass meeting was noisy and brOk,
Cnu fiaax>A GfrfL Dnu~