Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-02
CITIZENS IN DRIVE
! ON HIGH FOOD COST
D. C. Council Aims to Reduce
Prices When Possible and
{ End PROTECTING.
TO SURVEY SUPPLIES

That the citizens food council will
make a determined drive to promote
food conservation in the District, end
prof1teering and reduce prices where
possible was indicated by prelimi-
nary committee reports submitted at
the third meeting of the council held
in the board room Of the municipal
building last night
1t was disclosed that an Immediate
food survey is to be conducted under
the supervision of the committee on
markets. transportation and distribu-
ton. The committee will have the
assistance of government experts in
ascertaining what Washington's food
supplies are and how they are OBJ
tanned. The information derived
from this survey will be the basis of
any action that may be taken later
to bring producers in more direct
contact with consumers in the Dis
trict.
Meat Supply and Prices.
Report made by the committee on
meat supply and prices, although of a
preliminary nature, showed that this
committee is giving active considera-
ton to the problem of reducing meat
prices in the District.
The committee on price interpreta-
ton, whose chairman, W. B. WeStlake
represents the council on the fair
price committee of the food admins
tration. already has begun to solicit
the aid of citizens in every part of the
District in making an effective weap-
on of the fair price list issued by the
food administration for preventing
profiteering.
Plans for stimulating activities on
the part of the food committees of
the various citizens associations were
disclosed by the educational commit
tee. This committee has taken up
with the food administration the
question of the issuance by the food
administration of an official weekly
bulletin. 1t will send regular commu-
nications to all the food committees
in the District, instructing them as
to how aid may be given the food ad-
ministration in carrying out the varl-
Gus requirements of the governments
food program during the war. This
committee will arrange a speakers
bureau and assist the associations In
getting up special food programs on
conservation.
Many citizens associations and other
bodies send delegates to last nights
meeting of the council, which was
president. The council was addressed
by Food Administrator Wilson and
Mrs Ellen P. Dabney, home demon
stration leader of the Department of
Agriculture.
Mr.. Wilson's Address.
Mr.. Wilson said that the council.
although but recently organized,
already has given every assurance
that it is to be an active factor in
promoting the governments FOOD
plans in the District He referred to
traitor Hoover in increasing the
monthly allowance of sugar per per-
son from two to three pounds as
courageous action in the interest OF
the people. Despite the fact that the
new hotel regulations are built on the
old sugar rationing, and that food
administrators in every section of the
country were making a drive for the
enforcement of the two-pound allow
ance, Mr.. Hoover did not hesitate.
even at the. risk of being accused of
vacillating. to increase the allowance
. of sugar to three pounds the minute
| he discovered there was to be sugar
, surplus, MIR. Wilson said. The local
, food administrator declared that there
is no camouflage about Mr.. Hoover;
that he has the courage to make a
regulation one day and change 1t the
next, if conditions change overnight
terest of the people. This he charac-
terized as the best kind of admins
tration.
Epidemic Interrupts Work.
Mrs Dabney announced that the
homo demonstration work. which was
interrupted by the influenza epidemic,
will be resumed Monday in the do
nestle science rooms of the public
schools and elsewhere. She said that
there had been difficulty in obtaining
meeting places for the home DEMON
stration classes organized by the De-
partment of Agriculture representa-
tives. and appealed to the council for
aid In obtaining meeting places and
organizing classes.
Mrs. Dabney made It plain that this
work of the Department of Agricul-
ture has an important bearing on the
much 81 its prime object Is to IN
struct householders how they may OBJ
tain the most nutritious food at the
least cost She said that lettuce and
asparagus have no place on a poor
mans table; that the nutritive value
to eat nineteen pounds of it in order
to get the equivalent of a square
meal Mrs. Dabney said that with the
help of the council she hoped to in
crease the number of home demon
stration classes and arouse mothers
city to the Importance of shaping
their measures with the object of
furnishing greater nutrition at less
cost and at the same time conserving
tho food supply.
J. Clinton Hiatt. a member Of the
executive committee, was named as
sistant secretary of the council.