New-York tribune., 1919-08-15
Retailers Grow Wary and
Cut Down ON Supplies
as Officials Unearth Evi.
dence of Food Hoarding
Copeland Joins in Fight
Smith Wires to Palmer
for Federal Aid in Probe
of City's Milk Supply

officials directing the various agencies
fighting high prices to redouble their
efforts yesterday.
The upward trend of wholesale meat
prices reported during the first three
days of the week was reflected in the
retail quotations yesterday. Consum-
ers who purchased legs of lamb for
40 cents q pound on Monday paid 42
cents Yesterday. All varieties of veal
were from three to five cents higher
in Washington Market.
The growing intensity of the war on
the cost Of living has reached the con-
sumers, even if it has not moved the
dealers, butchers in various sections of
the city said yesterday. Emil Joseph,
veteran Washington Market dealer,
reported that the beef consumption is
approaching q new low ebb, while the
demand for other commodities is also
slackening. Customers say that they
are holding back in purchasing more
than their absolute requirements until
they can see the fruit of the present
agitation, Mr.. Joseph reported.
Retailers Grow Wary
Despite the concerted efforts of Fed
eral. state and municipal agencies to
reduce prices, the quotations on eggs
and butter have been practically un-
changed. except to mount slightly, dur
ing the last week. Charles P Dresch-
er Washington Market dealer. said
market conditions indicate no further
advance III dairy prices at present,
although the egg price advanced two
cents 2 dozen during this week. Re-
taAers are becoming wary, he said.
Instead Of purchasing and storing q
months suppy, they are now content
with enough for only weeks busi-
ness The uncertainty of the com
modify market was never greater than
to-day. he said
DR.. Royal S Copeland, Health Com
missioner, was valuable acquisition
yesterday to the forces struggling to
bring the price of food within the
reach Of all. After Governor Smith
had declared in the morning that the
Board Of Health, with it's wide pow
eis, could~probably provide a solution
for the present high cost of living, DR..
Copeland issued q statement in which
he declared that the law division Of
his department would endeavor to To-
cate tEis power in the statutes and
act On it,
Days Developments
Other important developments in the
battle for lower priced commodities in
GUIDED:
Arthur Williams, Federal Food Ad-
r.iuistrator, paid a flying visit to
" Washington TO confer with Attorney
Geacral Palmer on the scope of the
nowcrs Of the new fair price committee
appointed by Mr.. Williams.
District Attorney Swami wrote to Po-
lce Commissioner Enright asking him
- order search for unlicensed stor-
age warehouses in New York County.
Ben 4. Matthews, assistant United
States Attorney, declared that he has
eadonce Of the storing of large quanti-
ties Of food in and about the city, but
t1at he would not be able to act until
further Investigation had been made.
United States Attorney Francis G.
Cafey yesterday, acting under instruc-
tions from Washington to intensity the
fight on food hoarders and profteers
directed Henry A. Cutler, Ryland w.
Joyce and J. Il. Williamson, his special
assistants, to begin Sherman antitrust
law and Lever law Investigations here.
Governor Smith conferred with his
special food commissioners, former
Governor Martin II. Glynn and DR..
John II. Finley, Commissioner of Edu-
cation, and sent a telegram to Attorney
General Palmer asking for his cooper
alton in an effort to reduce the milk
price.
Jury for Kings County
District Attorney Lewis, of Kings
County, announced that he has started
an exhaustive foodprice investigation
and will place evidence collected before
grand jury.
Dr.. Copeland, in discussing the Gov
ernor's suggestion that he could pos
sibly aid in relieving the situation,
said that the Department of Health is
q "a iuh nd iV-
creaslng cost of milk.
lie law division of the Department
OF Health was directed some ten days
ago to investigate the rights and duty
OF the Health Department in the mat
Ter Of regulating the price of milk" ="
Or. Copeland said.
Investigations made by the Depart
ment of Health have revealed the un-
comfortable fact that the high cost of
many other essential foods has serious
" reduced their consumption by many
citizens OF this city. | am much inter
estec IN the suggestion of the Cover
nor, and II it can be shown that the
broad police powers of the Department
OF Health can be used to correct the ex-
istlng evil, | say, without hesitation,
lat = would be a JOY on the part of
TINS department to go forward with the
most vigorous sort of campaign, look
70 ~ N.Ar iSSUAottoAi W ZIG pAlSSo ~
food products
May Invoke peril" Clause
Il assume that such an action would
nave been taken under the so-called
imminent peril section of the Charter.
III this event it would be necessary
mrs for the Board Of Health to take
ana ME among its records what it shall
regard as sufficient proof to authorize
us declaration OF such peril.
II such proof can be adduced, then
'hc Board of Health, under the law,
CA. take steps to act to preserve the
pNonc health, DR.. Copeland added. 1t
would be necessary to show that by
reason of the high prices and the hoard
lhg' the public is being deprived of its
essential foodstuffs, he pointed out.
Governor Smiths telegram to At
'orney General Palmer on the milk
situation, follows:
\, Iaasmuch as milk is coming into
New York City from New Jersey,
pennsylvania Vermont, New Hamp-
shire and Connecticut, the commission
1at have appointed to investigate
tnenlgh cost of living needs help from
your department through the interstate
commerce laws.
New York City is the largest con-
su1ner of milk in the United States
ana the price quoted here is felt by
consumers throughout the whole coun-
Wy. FOR these reasons I respectfully
request that your department cooperate
Hr<< al