Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-27

THURSDAY-THE ROCK Is
Community COUNCILS. i
BIZ FREDERIC I. HASKIN. |
Especial Correspondents of The August.
New York. Nov. 25.-The New York con-
sumner 10 now ON the war path. Henceforth.
Il Il generally recognized, he must be handled
gfngerly. for he is thoroughly peeved about
the high cost Of living. Also-which ID more
important IL organized to combat It.
Distributed throughout the varied boroughs
Of this city there are now 80 Organizations.
known % community councils" possessing Q
Of over sixty thousand consumers.
and the active support Of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor. These councils, In turn, are
under the direction Of central community
council, which has its headquarters right in
the midst Of the civic machinery in the munic-
ipal building. where It keeps vatchful eye
on all political moves. Once week each
council holds meeting for the purpose OF
discussing the various affairs which concern
its members, which may include anything from
street paving to the high price Of pickles.
The community council 10 to the consumer
what the union Is to the worker. 1t recognizes
merely the consumers interests and is pledged
merely,to their support. Since anyone is q
local council upon the payment Of the initia-
ton fee Of Is cents. Qualifications for MEM
bership, however, are suggested by Nthe fol-
lowing questions:
Are yox lonesome citizen, or are you 3
neighborly citizen!
Are you and yours getting square deal In
your district!
Are the psyements. the street cars the gut
tiers clean and giving good service?
Are the prices you pay for meat. potatoes.
milk and bread, in your opinion. fair and right?
Is the school furnishing your child good
education in return for your taxes?
II the landlord proflteering on your, rent?
The price Of milk has been steadily climb
ing in New York until now it is % cents
quart In most stores, and II cents a pint. The
dealers have insisted all along that this price
was the least at which they could possibly
bring the milk from the farmer to the con-
sumner; that to supply the demands of 100000
people was q complicated and costly PROPOSE
tion, and that the loss they were compelled
to stand from the waste and breakage of bot
ties alone was enough to excuse an even higher
price.
The dealers did not address these argu-
ments to the consumers however. II it had
been dispute between labor and capital, each
side would have appointedra committee to deal
with the other, and some attempt would have
been made to reach an agreement. But, as
usual in this case the consumers were ig-
nored excApt on paper.
The consumers. on the other hand. had NO
intention OF ienoring the Question of the urice
az milk Thew dfscuaaed II Thoroughly IN their
councils and finally decided that the time had
come to test their power. In other words. the
lime had come for the consumer to strike.
Some Of the>councils. BELIEVING that a COM
nleta atrika was necessary. voted tn maintain
their own COWS and estahlishins dai.ies of their
own. But the majority decided in favor Of the
milkless day A a simple and effective means
Of cutting down the demand for milk and TINS
the price. An appeal was issued to All CON
sumers. over / years old, who were neither
anaomic nor invalida tn refrain from hnvino
mill on Mondavs Tuesdavs and Wednesdavs
until the dealers could he brought to terms.
On Monday. Nov ~. a nrinted card annearea
m tha front door NJ thonsand. ~ houaes erd
anartments. readinr .MiiE strike NJ More
Niis Until Thnrsdsvn In soma d,.tr,ct. . a q
honaa IN honae canvas. M. carried IN hv. po,,
sconts for recruitinr new milk strile mem,
bers. and IN others a few motheriv ioaEinr
picketa were stationed near retail stores
aAre Won buvinr milk. madamr. vonnS
woman Vas asked ma she annroachea. the an.
trance az one Of these stores
sha admitted FIAT aha had Intended IN
"Have Won snv Children ,. nur.uad the IN:
terroeator.
"Sav vhat n Hhis@. manfred tho vorn.