The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-19
WAR ON HERE TO
RESTORE TRADE
Produce Exchange Members
Eagerly Sign Petition to
End Present System.
FIGURES ARE STAGGERING
Excess of 389,221,O75 Pounds
of Meat in Storage on Jan. 1
Is Pointed Out.
FIGURES ARE STAGGERING

Members OF the New York Produce
Exchange Joined hands yesterday with
members Of the Chicago Board OF
Trade in what promises to be deter
mined effort on the part OF men inter-
| ested in handling products OF agricul-
ture to induce the Government "a
remove restrictions now hampering
trade and to permit the natural opera
ton OF the law Of supply and demand
A petition was placed in circulation
on the floor OF the exchange asking
Thomas w. Gregory. Attorney General
OF the United States. "to take such ac-
, ton as will prevent any further arbi-
trary price fixing OF hogs and conse-
quently Of hog products by a so-called
hog price fixing committee, which as
far as we can learn Is acting without
any legal status"
The petition was similar to that which
the Chicago men sent on Friday TO Mr..
Gregory, and Its English was Just as
vigorous. Not every member on the
floor signed the document. but the great
majority OF the men who were doing
business or waiting for business to turn
up did rot hesitate long in affixing their
signatures.
Business OF the day had not rar ad-
vanced before member OF the Stock
Exchange telephoned TO member OF the
Produce Exchange that II a copy Of the
petition was sent over he would be glad
to get Stock Exchange members to sign
It. A copy Of the document was for
warded and II Is believed that II will be
circulated among the stock brokers to-
morrow.
While the nrst move in the campaign
Is directed against any moro official
price fixing on hogs the campaign in
Itself is rapidly crystailizing into a ma
tionwide movement on the part OF grain
dealers and men enga,s ed IN trading in
other foodstuffs 10 prevail upon the Gov
ernment to take its restraining hand
from the business of the country and
permit trade to get back to original
principles. In this way. and only in
this way. men who nave signed the Pc
titions In this city and Chicago say, can
there be a reduction in the cost OF liv-
ing to the great consuming public. now
top notch prices they have to pay for
the things they eat,
Text of Petition 20 Gregory.
This Is the petition which the Produce
Exchange men are sending to Washing
tom
january IS. 1919.
ITO the Hon. Thomas W. Gregory.
n,, ~ Tntf nj
Washington, d. c.
"As members OF the New York Pro-
duce Exchange, vitality interested Mn
petition your honorable self to take such
action as will prevent any further arhi-
trary price fixing of hogs and consequent
ly, OF hog products. by so-cailed hog
price fixing committee which. as far as
we can learn. Is acting without any legal
status. Price fixing by this committee
has been in operation for several
months.
AS war measure we would have
nothing to say but would loyalty support
any action of the Government for in
creasing the supply of food. 1t is now
no longer a war measure and such arbi-
trary action should be stopped Everett
c. Brown, chairman OF the hog price
fixing committee. has openly stated that
were il not for the activities OF his COM
mittee hogs would now be selling Mt
from 10 TO IL cents per pound Instead
of 17la cents per pound the price ar
bitrar,iy fxed by his committee.
what end in view the committee has
IN holding the price of hogs and conse-
ouently the price OF hog products at
from 70 7 cents per pound above the
normal price based on supply and de-
mand we do not know, but we do know
that the arbitrary action of this commit
zoe q. niacinr heavy burden on the
,ono srtyering consumers. who comprise
ahon. IN ner cent, Of the population OF
80 oo,,n,ry In romnarison with about
On ,,sr csnt NJ the farmer population. and
-. :, =. nou causing discontent among
nc .r,. r,h,eh q. now onenIv and hi :
t.r,,, .rnr.s.ed
~ nd
Re "oi e"Su 90