New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-14
New York Wholesale Gro
GERS Stores To Be
Closed Tonight
Must Refund Excess
Their Business Ruined, Deal
ers Say; Board to Go
After Retailers

The Federal food licenses Of Herman
Dworkis and'Godberg & Cohen, whole
sale grocers. convicted of sugar prof
iteering, were ordered suspended yes
terday by National Food Administrator
Herbert c. Hoover, on the recommen-
dation of the Federal Food Board Of
this city, before which tribunal the two
men were tried, Dworkis. whose offence
was considered the more serious, is
prohibited from doing any business till
March !, 1918. Goldberg & Cohen are
ordered closed till January IS.
The business establishments of the
two offenders viii be closed at 6 o'clock
tonight by agents of the Federal Food
Board. The doors will remain shut till
Federal licenses are re-issued to the
offenders b. the National Food Admin
istration.
10 win back the licenses and the
right TO DO business the profteers
must convince the Federal Food Board
here that they have :epcnted and done
penance in a practical way.
Food Boards Decision
The decision OF the board, approved By
National Food Administrator Hoover,
provides:
That Dworkis and Goldberg & Cohen
must refund 90 their customers every
cent charged in excess of the price OF
sugar fixed By the food administra-
ton since October q, and that they
must repurchase any and ali foods other
than cornmeal sold in sugar comoina-
ton sales on and after November L. at
the price paid By the purchaser.
That the offender must advertise III
not less than three Of the local Eng
lish and Jewish papers at least twice.
Offering to comply with the foregoing
conditions. This advertisement, as TO
publications selected, its size and Ian
cuage. is 20 be approved by the req
cral Food Board before publication.
81 believe the punishment Is ade-
ouate in both cases" said Mr.. Mltchell.
There is not the slightest doubt that
the penalties will prevent further
profiteerinc. As q matter Of fact. the
business OF the two firms is now de-
stroyed. The men have told US that
they cannot buy any goods. that they
cannot sell any, and that their credit
Mr. williams said that through the
orders for restitution no one suffered
much. lie said that Dworkis had been
doing business amounting annually TO
100000. and that Goldberg & Cohen
did about $4,000 worth OF business a
year.
Another Dealer To BE Tried
The Federal TODD board to-day will
try the case Of Louis Hoffman. another
Wholesale grocer, charged With selling
sugar at prices higher than fixed BY
the food administration.
The board Yesterday afternoon per-
fected plans for appointing deputy food
administrators in every county OF the
state and creating food councils in
every city, and ordered George l.. Ben
nett, the boards price expert. 20 pre-
pare daily price lists Of at least twenty
commodities, giving both wholesale and
retail prices. The first of these lists
was made public Wednesday,, giving
only Mr.. Benefits estimated fair re-
tail prices in neighborhood and low
rental stores. This method OF acquaint-
ing the public with the prices OF food
staples did not suit Mr.. Mitchell, who
demanded that the wholesale prices be
included for further guidance of the
public.
Mr.. Mitchell was questioned regard
ing charges of profiteering made by
settlement workers recently II confer
encos with City Market Commissioner
Moskowitz.
Let them present their complaint
20 the Federal food board in writing"
said Mr.. Mitchell. I'VE will investi-
gate, and if the charges are found true
the offenders will be punished.
"Ihe State Food Commission for the
last two weeks has been seeking power
TO punish profteering on the part OF
small merchants. who do not come I'M
der the Federal food license law. The
state food act provides that the COM
mission may draft rules and regu La
tions controlling retailers. These rules
are now being prepared by our attor-
news. Take, for instance, the case OF
fish dealer selling whiting, which costs
at retail six cents pound, as KING
fish, the price of which is 20 cents. We
think we have the power 70 stop such
practices"