The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-09-06

Inere nave Deen no sensational de-.
velopments in the movement to bring
down prices and to moderate the high
cost Of living in Duluth Mayor Mag
ney appointed a, committee of 18 from
the Consumers League and these l8
have been divided into committees to
take charge. Of different branches of
the work.
There was public meeting before
this was brought about. It was
planned to have prominent speakers at
that meeting but some of them failed
to show up. Mayor Magney, himself,
did not attend, but he promised to
preside if Mayor Power of Hibbing
was present as a speaker. Mayor
Power was not present. ...
Mayor Magney's absence from that
meeting did not set we'll with many
| citizens. Just at that time, the daily
papers were damning the movement to
bring down food prices by rather
faint praise. It looked to some as if
there were a gentleman 8 agreement
between the daily papers and the Food
Hogs to let the people yell few times
and then tread lightly and whisper
softly so that they would forget what
they had been yelling about. .
Since then, however, the News
Tribune, especially, has pleasantly dis
appointed the public by giving consid-
erabfe space to developments from day
to day and by not throwing cold water
on hopes, aims and efforts of the pub.
lie in general and the Consumers
League in particular.
Of course the Herald is too con.
servative, ponderous, pedantic and too
much in sympathy with the Food Hogs
and Profiteers, especially where fat
advertising contracts exist or are a
possibility, to become very jealous in
behalf of the hungry and half Nimpov-
erished consumers. Wilson's doings
and this League Of Nations stuff is
the Herald g main mission.
After the last big, general, open
meeting Of the, Consumers League, at
the request Of that body, Mayor Mag.
ney named the special committee
which will have charge of investiga-
tions and other practical work of the
organization, reporting to the parent
body from time to time.
Mr.. J. B. Richards was made chair.
man of the committee. He is lawyer
Of long and favorable standing in Du.
luth. Few members of the local bar
have better knowledge Of law than
he possesses. He ranks high and is a
man Of high ideals and sound princi-
nles. Dignity, lack Of all froth and
frivolity characterize him and he has
a deep interest in and knowledge of
matters municipal. Mr.. Richards has
served the city ably and well in the
past as city attorney. He actually
filled the office when he was in it
instead Of rattling around. If there
are deeply seated and serious cases Of
food boarding, profiteering and nm
warranted high prices in Duluth, Mr..
Richards will develop the fact if he
is given full opportunity and not ham
pered in any way. Policy, social af-
filiations or prospect Of profitable pro.
fessional connections in the future will
not influence j.. b. Richards. In q
local way he may be expected to make
as grand record as did Hughes in
the New York insurance cases, If
abuses exist and he is given chance
at them. "g5 .t- - " go. .H- -.e:aC &
Other members of the special com.
mittee as named by Mayor Magney
are, viz:
Mrs. c. E. Spring, Mrs. G. 8.
Mitchell, John E. Jensen, 81. II.
Stone, W. o. Pealer, David j. Erick-
son, Henry Dworshak, Jr., E. J.
Whalen, E. j. Kenney, II W. Rich
ardson, A. G.. Catlin, Frank r. Zim-
norman, 81. c.. Ash, W. B. Patton,
Mrs. o. W. Rowe, Thomas Bardsley,
Harry w. "Lanners. ss $3.50 .-5 .
The Federated Trades assembly at a
recent meeting voted TO cooperate
with the Consumers League in any
possible way to get results. -aa 1r-
It is not impossible, too, that the
present grand jury will dig into the
situation somewhat. That, undoubted-
", win depend a good deal on the at.
titude Of the county attorney and the
personnel Of the body. The list of
jurors as published shows the names
Of no great reformers, uplift workers
or men with special mission in be-
half Of the common people. 3
Acting County Attorney Forbes has
heavy criminal docket facing him
at the present time and Warren e.
Greene, the real county attorney, Is
away from the county and the duties
OF his office, acquiring military titles