The Washington herald., 1918-07-14
PR0FITEER1NG
STIRSWORKERS'
REVOLT SPIRIT
Federal Employees to Carry
Fight to Congress if
Necessary.


and food situation in Washington Is
rapidly crystallizing among govera-
ment employees and other workers
in the District into a spirit OF re-
volt.
That apparently no genuine effort
has been made to protect them from
rent profiteers by supplying ad-
equate housing facilities. and from
the profiteering prices OF the restau-
rants and grocery stores has forced
them into the belief that they must
fight the proflteering of the city
themselves. oficials Of the Federal
Employees Union believe they can
expect very little material assistance
from government agencies.
Not only the Federal employe In
suffering under present conditions.
but the other workers of the city
must face the same conditions as
well, union officials say, and they
look to them for their whole-hearted
moral support in efforts to, put a
check upon profiteering rampant
Increasingly Hard struggle.
There are but few walks of life
represented here, they declare. which
do not leave its followers open to
the thieving of the profiteera
The man or woman, engaged in
occupations which have not ad-
vanced the pay as have several of
the primary war trades, is facing q
daily increasingly hard struggle.
This fact Is proved, it was said. by
the scores of letters received at the
headquarters of the union from per-
sons who have no connection with
il or with the government service
itself.
Realizing this, the National Fed
Grafton of Federal Emplayes is
making a determined stand. A COM
mittee forecast some time ago by
Thomas Quinn. secretary of the Fed
Grafton, is to be named today to
take the protests Of the employees
to the Federal Fuel Administration
and other Federal agencies which
are managing the matter.
Delay In Rent Relief.
The rent situation and the delay
in promised relief through the new
housing program Is becoming SO
acute that that matter also Is to be
taken up vigorously by the Fedora
tion as well.
Whether the committee appointed
today to carry the protests OF the
employees to the departments will al
so handle the rent situation, is not
known just now.
Formation of the committee fol-
lows the action of the last Sunday
meeting of the employees, when let
ters were sent to the heads of the
frfo Ct - ~
Markets and the Federal Trade
Commission. asking an explanation
of the profiteering. No answers
have been received by the union to
their letters, officials said last night,
and II the committee that Is to be
appointed today does not obtain sat
isfaction, the matter will imme-
diately be taken farther.
To Carry Fight to Congress.
The fight will quickly be carried tn
Congress. Delay in the housing pro-
gram. which still Is unexplained. will
be taken up by committee, and in
this, too, IL immediate satisfaction
can not be obtained, the matter will
be carried to the highest authority,
where they expect to find justice and
relief in immediate action.
Following dppOlutIucuI VI lHc SOin-
mittee today. the meeting of the en-
ployes will discuss the $40 increase IN
pay recently passed by Congress. and
which has been working out unsatIs-
factorily to the government workers.
Complaints against Washington res
taurants are coming in every day to
the headquarters Of the National ed
Grafton. Ham and eggs go up cents
almost every day, 1t seems. Coffee
and bread and butter and the ,ssen-
tials are soaring skyward with no ap-
parent reason.
Investigated Prices.
A little investigation of prices Of
restaurants yesterday by a Washing
ton Herald reporter resulted in some
interesting data A restaurant avow-
edly selling food at cost was selected.
This restaurant pays rent. electricity.
gas and all bills, except the wages of
fifteen or twenty helpers. The ether
restaurant, a few squares from 1t. has
essentially the same problems: IT Il
not a choice place. The food Is un-
appetizing and the portions small.
A comparison Of prices in these two
Pennsylvania avenue restaurants
within few squares Of each other
will give an idea Of the profit that
comes into the profiteering restaurant
keepers hands.
The first restaurant intends to make