The Washington herald., 1918-07-24
LOCAL MARKET
CHARGED WITH
PROFITEERING
District House Committee to
Conduct Investigation
of Conditions.
OFFICIALS LACK POWER
Majors Wife Complains of
Rent at $50 Per
Month.

Declaring that the Washington
Center Market is the heart Of meat
prohteering in the city, Represen-
tative Ben Johnson, chairman of
the District of Columbia House
Committee, yesterday announced
an investigation of the condition
and terms of ownership of the
market would be begun as soon as
the House District Committee
could be gathered together. A
resolution authorizing the inquiry
was passed in the House a short
time ago.
Charges that the stall owners
are unable to set prices but must
conform to prices set for them is
one OF the questions to be taken
up. Appointment OF inspectors
other than expert butchers. the
condition under which meat is
sold and other questions of peril
nent interest will be investigated.
Mr.. Johnson said:
Bureau Lacks Power.
The Bureau OF Markets has no
power to control food prices ae-
cording to a letter from the Chief
of the Bur eau of Markets made
public at a meeting of the Punch"
=. committee Of the National Fedora
tion of Federal Employees last night
The letter asked the committee to
state what data was used in compar-
ing Washington prices with those
Of other cities. and was in answer
TO the resolution asking for infor-
nation concerning Washington pro-
hteering, passed two weeks ago by
the National Federation and for
warded to the Bureau of Markets.
situation. developed some time
ago in the local Food Administra-
tion was discussed. The local Food
Administration requested all pa
triotic housewives to bring to the
administration sales slips from
stores which overcharged them.
Meagcr results were obtained, de-
clared the administration. The rea-
son was most simple. A large num-
ber Of stores issue no sales slip
after the purchase is paid for. or
give a receipt for the lump amount
of purchases only. Thus the guam
tity> and price paid per article are
lacking.
Committee to Investigate.
The committee decided on Thursday
to make the first Of their calls on
local authorities concerning the prof.
tering in Washington. Realizing that
the President is their court OF last
4 appeal they wish nevertheless to al
low the local powers to explain toe
situation IL possible.
The committee also discussed the
way the market is controlled oy the
commission merchants. For instance,
one member cited the case of a man
who had several broken lots of po-
tatoes when potatoes were selling at
"a per barrel. He did not dare 20 sell
the broken lots at reduced price be-
cause IL he did he would never be
allowed to purchase from the COM
mission men again.
Prohteering Proof.
John B. Dickman. Of the Central
Labor Union. cited an instance of
profiteering, comparative figures for
which he had taken from a Rochester.
n. Y. newspaper. On July 10. dressed
chicken sold for % cents a pound in
Rochester while the same article sold
for s. cents in Washington
The rent question was also taken
I'D. One profiteer who draws 5000
from the War Department was nam
ed. The rent in one Of MIS- houses
was raised from $3.50 to $3.50. In
another property of his the tenant
was put out This man was declared
not a profteer by the housing au-
tkorities Of the War Department, who
also declared that "the situation was
well in hand"
Committee Personnel
The committee which Is taking ac-
tion for the Il, 900 members Of the To-
cal branch of the National Federation
o. Federal Employees consists OF the
following:
John s. Beach, chairman: W. Gin
der, B. W. Payne, Of the Postofice
Department; W. c. Ryan. Of the Bu-
reau of Education; E. J. Newmeyer,
Mrs. Max West. Of the ChiIdren's
Bureau Of the Department Of Labor;
Miss Beatrice Bullo, Of the Depart
ment Of Commerce; Miss Mary H.
Burr, Of the Department Of Labor;
John B. Dickman. OF the Central La
Dor Union; W. I. Swanton, of the De-
psrtnent Of the Interior; c. A. Mil
Ter, Of the Postof1ce Department;
Miss Katherine Horan, Of the General
Land ONCE. and W. W. Keeler, Of
the Navy Yard.
Good to be Dene.
The National Federation of Feder-
al Employees will do much good by
stirring up the local situation in re-
gard to profteering," said Edward
8. Hege. IN charge Of the Housing
Committee OF the District Council of
National Defense.
IT they bring down the price Of
food 1t will aid the rent situation ma
terially. Many of the renters are
people on small salary who are hav-
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