Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-10
K0USEWVESASKED
TO FIGHT G0UGERS
Food Administration Says
They Can Control
Situation.

Satisfied that housewives have the
power to help check extortion being
practiced by many food dealers In
Washington, the District food admins
tration today urged them to cooperate
with it in its renewed efforts to bring
q certain amount Of relief from the
prevalent high food prices.
The local administration today said
it cannot too forciby direct the at
tention of the housewives of this city
to the fact that the question OF excess
sive prices is a matter which they can
control themselves. to q great e1.en y:
maintained by housekeepers patroniz-
ing only those retail stores wn 1s ,i nme
food prices are kept down to the Inn.
its set in the weekly fair price ns s
and the daily market guide Wnlch arc
published in the newspapers.
Urged to Watch Placards.
District REPRESENTATIVES Of the local
administration are being directed per-
sonally to instruct housekeepers Ia
their respective districts in the value
and . uses of these price lists ana
guides and to advise them to keep
themselves posted as to market con,
ditions and food prices. They VIII
be urged to- watch for the placards
to be displayed in store windows,
which will notify the public whether
or not particular stores sell at mimi
mum or maximum prices allowed oy
the daily and weekly price GUIDES.
Oficials of the United States Food
Administration and the local admin :
istration will tomorrow night address
the grocers of Washington at mast
meeting to be held in Perpetual Halt
18th and E streets. = This occasion
will afford these officials an oppor-
tunity to put the matterSofs enforcing
the price lists suuarely and convinc-
ingly up to the grocerymen. The aid
and cooperation of the dealers will
be asked and every effort will be made
to bring about good feeling and a
spirit of fair dealing and civic pride.
Profteering Admitted.
That there is a certain amount Of
profiteering among food dealers In
this city is admitted by the. local
has no hesitancy in saying that there
are many dealers whose business
methods are beyond reproach, and
who have done everything in their
power to make possible the aims OF
the local administration. These deal-
ers, the administration said, unfor-
tunately must stand considerable
criticism of a general nature because
of the unpatriotic and grasping prac-'
tees of some few dealers.
In speaking Of food profiteering the
local administration today called at
tention to the task of the Philadelphia
food administrator, who, in state
ment yesterday, declared that food
profiteering was rampant In that city
and strongly urged the women of the
city to cease patroniZing the prof
iteers. To help relieve conditions In
Philadelphia numel Gus curb markets
have been installed. The establish
ment Of curb markets in Washington
was suggested to the local admins
traitor several weeks ago and the plan
is under advisement.
Numerous inquiries have been re-
ceived at the local administration re-
garding the continued high prices for
potatoes. The administration was
asked to explain why potatoes have
been reported by the bureau of mar
kets as being abundant" and at the
same time no reduction in their retail
price is noted. The administration
said this strange condition must ,'be
due to the shippers of potatoes refus-
ing to lower the wholesale price.
Complaints about the Washington
meat prices continue to be received
at the administration, but it is init
mated that some real relief will be
brought to the local consumers in a
very short time.