New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
Board of Estimate Seeks
Charter Amendment Al
fer Hearing Pleas
HOUSEWIVES BODIES
PRESENT AT HEARING
Kingsbury's Report Takes
Edge Off Women'S Sto-
ries of Privation

The Board of Estimate, after listen
no TO pleas by women representing a
ao,en housewives organizations of the
.sn,ment districts, passed a resolu-
,;on Yesterday afternoon directing the
c0rporation Counsel TO prepare a char
-, amendment under which the city
.;gbt use its funds TO buy food Tor
ale TO the poor at cost.
Carl Beck. who, with Rabbi stephen
Wise. acted as spokesman for the
...-en tried TO establish in the minds
.tusmbers of the board parallel be-
.ws,n the present need of New forks
100, and san Francisco's emergency
,fter the fire. But in the light OF the
CHARITIES Departments hastily COM
nied report, which was read by Mayor
Mitchell. Mr.. Beck's contention was sub
iscted 10 heavy discount.
Few Found in Straits
Commissioner Kingsbury's report was
based partly on the result Of an espe-
eslly conducted house-to-house can
v,ss Of typical tenement blocks in dis
.ricts where food riots have occurred
,,5 rscurred in the last few days. Of
LAP families interviewed only twenty
,wo were found 10 be in straits, per-
,,rtAge even under the normal statis-
teal expectations Of organized chart
hes The mass of the population, the
report says, is in better economic con-
6tion than it has been for years.
But though savings deposits in neigh
borhood banks were shown to have in
creased materially over last year, 1t
was admitted that the cost of living
could not continue on its rise much
longer without causing thousands 70
feel the pinch severely, perhaps to the
mint of a general undermining OF the
health Of the poor.
when the doors Of the meeting room
we're closed. shortly after 20 o'clock
here were present women representing
sever branches of the Socialist Con-
samers' League, two branches OF the
Consumers League, the Soclallst SUI
frsre Campaign Committee, the houSe-
wives League of Brooklyn and the
Mothers Anti-High Price League. IL
vas the latter organization whlch an
rounced on Thursday that IT was gong
10 ask a 100000 appropriation 70
by fcod for the poor.
Police Surround Hall
A Gordon Of police surrounded the
Hall. and the park was filled with tne
crowd which New York has come III
he last few days 70 expect 70 ma
gathered there. Tho
Board Of Estimate chamber via the
traffic squad station in the basement o.
The nall, where she had sought INTERN
nsnt on the ground that II she re,
NAMED in the park she might De neIu
responsible for the presence OF the
crowd there.
Mayor Mitchell opened the hearing by
recommending 20 the committees tha'
they carry their plea 70 Albany -
why don't you ask the Legislature
Why il didn't pass the food measures
ne city has been trying 70 get through
for two sessions past-the measures
We are still advocating? suggested the
Mayor
Lillian D. Valid, Of the Henry Street
Settlement, told Mayor Mitchell and the
board that the extreme unrest among
the poor was not confined 70 any one
district, and gave stories OF individual
privstions which high prices nave
forced.
Market Plan Refused
When she advocated the establish
nent Of terminal markets the Mayor
Interrupted 20 say that the market pm
had been turned down by the Legislat'
gre ~for purely political reasons"
Effective control Of food supplies
rests first with the national govern
rent and 70 a smaller extent on the
state government" he went on. "hac
" had the legislation we advocated
10 years ago / believe we could now
= in control of the prices.
-All the farmers are holding up 1000