The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-08-23

The wheel Of events, locally and
nationally, is turning most rapidly il
matters pertaining to Food Hogs
Profiteering and High Cost of Living
For two long, weary years, this
great family journal has pointed out
the damnable methods Of local Food
Hogs. Sneers and disbelief have come
from many who should have believed
But the people have believed because
on them, fell the burden and the hurt
from hogging, boarding and juggling
prices Of foodstuffs. ...
What was true in Duluth proved to
be true all over the nation. At last
the murmurings Of the masses became
80 loud that danger Of an uprising
seemed imminent. Even President viii
son took cognizance Of the situation
and came out strongly in behalf of the
ultimate consumer and against the
criminals who have sweat the purses
and pinched the stomachs OF the
many who create for the few.
Today, the entire United States is
discussing the cause and effect Of the
policies Of Food Hogs, Hoarders and
Profiteers. Government investigators
are putting in the probe wherever there
seems likelihood Of there being mig.
ger in the woodpile. Hoarders Of and
profiteers in foods already are being
arrested and further arrests and prose
cutions undoubtedly will follow in
great number, if justice prevails.
Here in Duluth, Michigan street
Food Hogs have been more circum'
spect than in previous years, yet they
are just as sneering, greedy and ar
rogant as Of yore.
The sugar famine, right in the midst
of the canning season, woke up presi.
dent, nation and Duluth. So far,
there have been no serious cases of
local sugar boarding uncovered. Many
reports Of anywhere from ten to thirty
cars of sugar being in freight cars in
the local yards have come to the Rip.
Saw but lack Of time, inspectors and
money have prevented the great fam
lily journal from giving serious atten.
ton to the reports. Mayor Magney
and Chief Murphy have given the
yards and warehouses the once over
and found nothing seriously out Of
proportion, so they report.
One telephone informant told the
Rip-Saw a startling tale of a visitor
at the Wells-Stone establishment in.
advertently opening a door to a room
that he was not supposed to open and
seeing therein tons and tons Of sugar
No heed was paid to that tale as the
informant did not follow up his infor.
nation with a personal call at the
Rip-Saw office. It may have been
merely the fancy Of a sugarless ply.
steal system, or an overweight nerv.
Gus system.
Then came public meeting, under
the auspices or a somewhat myster.
ious and unknown 81. q. Stone. Du.
luth ever has had penchant, az the
aspiring samuelson might say, for fol.
lowing new, unknown and untried
leaders. There is excellent evidence
that Mr.. Stone will prove popular as
leader, at least for a time. The
informal organization Of Producers
League was fortunate in selecting 50
sturdy, honorable and dependable a
young man for secretary as Henry
Dworshak, Jr.
Before the Rip-Saw comes off the
press, a mass meeting at the Shrine
Auditorium will be held for the pur-
pose Of effecting a permanent organ.
ization. of a Consumers League.
There is talk of trying to relieve
the situation by having ward system
of distribution for produce brought in
from the outside, eliminating high
profits and greedy middlemen. This,
it seems will require heavy capital
and skilled management. It may be
that Mr.. Stone, the new leader in
Israel, possesses both and that they
will be used for the common veal.
There is nothing more effective
than deep, thorough, intelligent pub.
licity. If a Consumers League can
maintain skilled and dependable in.
vestigators and then give the public
the complete details Of their findings,
from time to time, a wonderful result
will be attained.
Volumes could be filled with the
stories Of hogging foodstuffs and
profiteering in the necessaries Of life.
For two years the Rip-Saw has done
what it could towards finding out
these hidden and despicable outrages
against the stomaehs and purses of
mankind. Those stories are breaking
loose in greater and greater number.