Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-09
BILL BEING DRAWN
LIMITING STORAGE:
Legislature Will Be Asked to
Prohibit Indefinite Hoarding
of Foodstuffs.
CALLS COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
Governor Asks Body to Devise
Ways to Distribute Provisions
at Lower Prices.
CALLS COUNCIL OF DEFENSE

Nirrinta's fight against prohtee-ing
and boarding, and the consequent high
cost-of-livinE crisis is in full swing.
Albert o. Foschen. Richmond member
ot the House Of Delegates. last night
announced that he was preparing
bill TO he presented at the special
session Of the General Assembly. which
convenes next Wednesday, which
would prevent holding Of foodstuns in
storage in this State for more than
six months. the penalty providing
prison terms.
Twenty per cent more food is being
held in storage here than year ago.
and wholesalers are buying up thou
sa nds Of pounds of butter TO be held
for the winter months in anticipation
o. even higher prices than those pre-
vailinE row, was the announcement
made Yesterday afternoon by Renja
min i. Purcell. Commissioner OF the
State Food and Dairy Department
Probing Warehouse Situation.
United States District Attorney
Hiram NJ. Smith. under whose direction
a score OF Secret Service men are
probing the storage and WAREHOUSES;
OF the state. received several reports
during the da%, showing surplus stocks
of food heid in Richmond storage
houses
AT rho suggestion of Governor Davis.
the members of the Virginia Council OF
Defense have been called 10 meet at
ways of distributing food at lower
prices TO various communities in the
state. and 10 discuss the practicability
ing agency for the sale of the vast
quantity of foodstuffs held BY the War
Department.
Mayor Ainslie and others met yester-
day in an effort 10 arrange for the
purchase of 100000 pounds of ham
held IN storage here by Chicago firm
which can be purchased for % cents
a price at least Is cents under the
present wholesale quotation.
Many Movements on Foot.
These and a half-dozen other move
men;s were on foot yesterday in an
Of necessities, and TO force down. if
possible, the high cost of living.
=. rironaniy me most important de-
ton that the General Assembly would
20 into the night when it convenes in
specia! session next Wednesday. Be-
heard OF other legislation being
Planned for presentation To the spe-
cial session. and il was predicted that
the cost-of-lving question might take
ures when the legislators meet
Tentative provisions OF the Roschen
eil! require that all persons placing
f9odstuffs IN storage mus, mark on
the con,ainer or package the date Of
the recent of the product. I, would
ns mnlawful TO keen the goods in
and the foods would be marked with
the date Of Withdrawal from storage.
imprisonment Is Penalty.
Violation OF the statute would sub.
- N RE
not less than six months and not more
than one year for the first offense and
hoS hos less Sss thhn an one me year nor more than
The bill, according 10 Mr. Boschen.
WI! be so framed as TO permit equali-
cation OF the food supply and no, work
a hardship upon the owners. but its
purpose is TO prevent storing or hoard
ing rh as means of boosting prices.
declared Mr.. Boschen in discussing the
proposed legislation. The war has
not the reason for the prevailing high
prices.
Much Allowed to Spoil.
ot To do,Ty my certain knowledge thousands
dss,royed de in Richmond during the
hs isaf RehmdnG Gavs been advisng with
health and many startling facts have
neen revea led. For instance not long
hsn hs s rats a destroyed thirty barrels OF
law compelling periodical inspections
and an d1 proher storage this could not have
Mr.. Boschens attitude is that there
Is concerted movement to maintain
high prices. and that the law OF sup
ply and demand is not determining
the cost to consumer. Director Nor
rissett. Of the State Legislative Bureau
is investigating storage laws OF other
states and Mr.. Boschen says that the
Dill to be presented next week will
contain the best features of all meas
ures enacted elsewhere.
Purcell Asks More Power.
State Dairy and Food Commissioner
!;urcell yesterday urged that lcgisla-
tion be enacted enabling the State TO
SUPERVISE storage of foodstuffs. stating
that the Governor and state depart7
ments were practically helpless in the
present emergency. His statement
that there is held in storage here 90
per cent more food than at the same
need of such legisla ton.
There is no law, he said covering
the condition of food when placed in
storage. with the exception of eggs.
a statute recurring the date of de-
livery TO storage be placed on the
Commissioner Purcell has the au-
thority to inspect the general condi-
tion OF cold sorage plants. and II the
foodstunS show decomposition, he can
seize II and separate II from the good
and distribute the stock under State
supervision. But he has no authority
to seize the food or take control until
decomposition sets in, and a person
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