New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-06
Produce Dealers
Call Wicks Food
Bill Socialistic
"Individualism in This Ma
ton Dead as a Smelt,"
Reply of Perkins
Middlemen Warned
Will Be Eliminated Unless
They Agree to Regulation,
Says Cyrus Miller

Produce merchants and other bust
ness men attacked the Wicks market
bin as revolutionary and socialistic az
public hearing yesterday in the as
sembly room Of the Merchants As
ISOLATION IN the Woolworth Building
The hearing was conducted by the
Mayors Food supply Committee. The
real estate interests Joined in the op-
position 70 the measure. declaring Il
showed d trend away from the spirit o.
ndividualism.
Herman Elfers. an attorney. who SAID
he represented 1000 commission men
who are members Of the National
League Of Produce Merchants. the New
York Fruit ard Produce Association
and other organizations. spoke against
-he bin. The Real Estate Board was
represented by Edward P. Doyle, who
declared the Wicks bill was the nrs-
step toward socialism.
"lndividualsm in this country is as
dead as smelt.r declared George ".
Perkins. chairman OF the Mayors Food
Supplv Committee. in replying 70 these
arguments. 1T was practlseo years
ago i'm a very different era from that
now existing. Then the individual was
isolated IN a business sense and could
do comparatively little good or harm
10 the general community. Vow any
man with brains and ability enough
can do the community either immeasur-
able harm or good. There must be
some great power 20 control ms &C
tion.'
Calls Perkins's Views Depressing
George F. Caniield declared he had
never heard anything more depressing
than Mr.. Perkins's views on individual
ism
"If what ne saws is correct Mr.. Can
field declared. "it means that the coun-
Try is so rotten that there Is no remedy
but drastic regulation OF private az
fairs. But how 60 we know that the
power Of despotism in a public Official
will be any more wisely used than the
power Of individuals? This Wlcks bill
IS a proDosition fundamentally vicious
in that Is imperiis industrial democ-
racy. The people ought 20 be told that
they can't get relief through public
control"
I'm outlining the purposes Of the
Wicks bill Mr. Perkins declared he and
The entire committee were opposed 20
the measure now before the legislature
providing for the buying and selling Of
food by the city He said:
eff YOU want political influence ana
politicians 20 engage III selling YOU
your food. then you want the bin asked
for by the Board OF Estimate. As q
consumer I would rather take my
chances under the present system
SIR Elfers wanted 20 know = bill
such a. the Wicks measure could be
passed regulating the sale Of food. why
Other laws could not regulate the sale
O. co.-n0d ties such as clothing, shoes
and furniture. Mr.. Perkins pointed out
that the situation was different. mas
much as food was a daily necessity,
while determination might be used IN
buying clothing from tine 20 time.
There is ar absolute necessity o.
some steps 20 regulate the food situa-
ton Mr. Perkins declared. All our
preparedness talk wont DO any good
unless we also prepare for moDilizs-
ton OF food A big army or navy i no
good unless you can feed IL. We've got
20 have an inventory OF the food IN the
country. ard there should be some
great power created 20 handle 10 IN the
event Of any food crisis. Germsnys
military success has been largely due TO
her handling of her food supply.