The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-12-27

essary proof to substantiate particular
claims made. The disposition gener-
ally seemed to be to call the commit
tees attention to a wrong and leave
it to the members of the committee to
chase it down and secure sufficient
information to sustain it.
GAS your honor knows, the committee
had no power to subpoena witnesses, to
swear them or to compel them to pro-
duce their books and papers which
might establish specific instances of
profiteering or which could enable the
committee to fully cover the field of
what was a reasonable cost and what
was reasonable profit in special lines
of business.
+ "The general committee has made
several reports. The first extensive re-
port covered the interesting question of
comparative wholesale prices on the
same date, Oct. 2, 1919, on the same
articles in st. Paul, Minneapolis and
Duluth; a copy Of this report was fur
nished to your honor. It conclusively
showed that on 10 articles of staple
foods, embracing a list such as ruta-
bagas, beets, carrots, onions, sweet po-
tatoes, bananas, live poultry, grapes,
apples, pears and others, an unaccount-
able and an unreasonable difference to
the disadvantage Of the city of Duluth
ranging from per cent in the case of
Cape Cod cranberries to SO per cent
on live poultry.
Comparisons of similar wholesale
prices have been made by the commit
tee each week since said date and your
committee reports that, at the present
time, the striking difference in the
wholesale prices on such articles,
charged in Duluth, Minneapolis and st.
Paul, has very largely disappeared;
that in the main prices charged are
less in Duluth than st. Paul or Min
neapolis with the exception Of prices
Of poultry, although such prices have
been modified. Your committee feels
that this condition has resulted from
publicity as to actual facts. Your
committee has consulted all available
information; has obtained government
reports from Washington, touching the
costs of production Of fuel, as to
hides, tanning, leather, shoes and other
manufactured products, and has fol-
lowed pretty closely the reports of the
Federal Trade Commission, the govern
ment agency for the securing of accu-
rate information along all economic
lines; has taken notice of the fact that
the legislature of Minnesota at it's last
special session took steps to investigate
the questions relating to the cost of
living in Minnesota with power to sub
poena witnesses, with power to compel
the production of books and papers and
to make "Fair Price" lists and report
the same from time to time; and the
committee recognizes that many causes
exist for present high and excessive
prices entirely beyond the power of
any local committee to control. It is
needless to discuss such general causes.
Necessarily, the attention of the
committee has been directed to the
question of possible remedies for known
existing conditions in Duluth and your
committee feels that it has found a
method, which, if properly pursued, is
capable of producing results in the city
of Duluth which should be extremely
satisfactory. We refer to the report Of
the committee recommending the per-
manent establishment of an Incorporate
ed consumers league of citizens Of Du-
luth. Such league has been duly in
corporated. Its purpose as above stat.
ed comprises everything that your pres
ent committee was constructed to &C.
complish and its field Of accomplish
ment is practically unlimited. The
board of directors serve without pay,
will meet once week to study exist
ing conditions and practical ways to
save money to its members and it is
hoped that this membership will in
clude the majority Of the householders
of the city of Duluth. The corporation
is not organized for profit but as a
permanent instrument of publicity and
means of education as to every ques-
tion affecting its members as eonsum-
ers and as an encouragement to every
method and practice which will result
in advantageous purchasing, producing,
marketing and distribution Of commod-
tiles. It is educational; it seeks to in
struct the citizens how to buy, what
to buy and when to buy. It aims to
bring the consumers and producers to-
gether for their mutual benefit, to
produce cooperation between the citi-
cents of Duluth on all lines affecting
their pocket-book, all at minimum of
expense on bedrock terms.
"The functions of such corporation
would embrace propaganda for pub
lie market or markets, the economical
purchase Of goods, the Encouragement
of extravaganza and recklessness in
buying, how to make a dollar go the
farthest with the aim of making the
citizens of Duluth prosperous, as con-
tented as possible and bound together
with a feeling of common purpose,
unity and fellowship.
"Such an organization is new in
Duluth, but your committee believes
that it is worth while to try it out in
serious, determined and practical way
and your committee believes that it is
the most practical method it can rec
ommend in order to aid in reducing the
high cost of living in Duluth.
"Numerous practical demonstrations
of what can be done in the way of
cooperation by citizens buying in
common have occurred under the eyes
Il a.