The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-02-23
Commissioner Of Weights and
Measures At Washington Urges
Creation Of National commis-
sion With Power Over Supplies
HOUSE LINING UP AGAINST
PLAN FOR INVESTIGATION
Representative Opposes Presi-
dents Plan. For Appropriating
100000 For Probe; Rioting
Continues In New York City
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vrr AsHINGToN, Febrnary 23--
Wv With the house lining up
against the Presidents propo.
sal that congress appropriate 10000
for the conduct Of an investigation in
the increased cost Of living, Joseph
Hartigan, commissioner Of weights and
measures threw a possible bombshell in.
TO the already tense situation, when he
proposed in formal statement yester.
day the importation Of cheap Filipino
hbor for the farms as solution for
the problems of eheapening food and
bringing it within the easy reach Of
the poorest. ..@. a. =.
In his statement Hartigan declared
that he believes that the proposal to
impose an embargo upon all products
save foedstuffs and fuel win fall far
short Of haeting the brablem OF trans
portation, which Be deciafes is not the
great problem that confronts the nation
so much as the question Of getting the
land to produce all that it Is capable
Of doing. a,%. ai~
He urges that one method Of getting
the situation in hand Is the creation Of
anational a board Of food control, which
shall have powers Of regulating farm
labor conditions, and the distribution
of products by the railroads. -l.l
The great need at present according
to Mr.. Hartigan is farm labor and he
urges that steps be taken for the i'm
portation OF Filipino labor which Is
cheap, for use upon the farms of the
country. .-...r..Hs 5-a1t,.4 ..s
Representative Fitzgerald, chairman
of the finance committee, announced
yesterday that he would light the spend
ing of money on an investigation OF
the increased cost Of living, on the
ground that nothing can be accomplish
ed. H1.r ~ -..' ~.
The threatened food and fuel short
age which menaeed several sections OF
the country appears to have been
averted, at least for the time being by
the action, of the interstate commerce
commission, which has issued drastic
orders, sending supplies where most
nobly to the demands that have beer
placed upon them and have rushed
special shipments of supplies, to the
towns and cities most in need of them
In spite of the arrival of trainloadi
Of foodstuffs and fuel In New YorE
housewives of the crowded sections OF
that city, particularly of the east side
yesterday continued their disorderly
demonstrations against the high prices
of food and many small riots occurred
The police suppressed the outbreaks II
every instance where they grew serious
Women with babes in their armi
marched as "pickets" bnck and fortl
In front of shops which they made thu
objects of their demonstrations, ant
intending purchasers were asked not +,
patronize these establishments. "
New York officials asserted that
superficial investigation, has failed Il
show what result, ON, the children, ma,
be attributed TO lack of sufficient nour
food. :.-,3 -.
Mayor Mitchell has Instructed tha
there be an Investigation to learr
whether there is basis for the com
plants voiced at meetings that peO
pie are actually starving to death
The board Of health reports that tn,
death rate is lower than last year.