The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-12
WOMEN AID US. In
FAIR PRICE DRIVE
Cards Sept From Washington
for Checking Rates Charged
by Dealers.
PLAN MARKET LESSONS
Community Councils Formally
Launch Campaign to Cut
Cost of Living.

The work of members OF the COM
munity councils in helping the Fair
Price Committee in the cut the cost OF
living campaign. was launched formally
yesterday afternoon at a meeting in the
City Hall. Members of many women's
organizations Joined in the movement
and promised to assist in checking up
on retail butchers and grocers to see
whether they are observing the max
imum fair price lists issued twice a
week.
Mrs Charles c. Rumsey, chairman. ex-
planned that the Federal printing office
in Washington printed post cards bear
ing blank spaces In which are to be
entered the names of dealers. their ad-
dresses and the prices they are charging
for the kinds and grades of foodstuffs
appearing on the Fair Price Committees
lists. These cards will be franked
through the malls.
II member of Community Council
tf7e Nhousewife sends the postal to her
local chairman. who in turn sends 1t
to the borough chairman. The borough
chairman forwards the cards to the
Community Councils fair price head
quarters, room 407, Federal (old) Post
Office Building. Housewives belonging
to womens organizations not Com
munity councils are to send their filled
In cards direct to the headquarters.
Various non-observance Of the regula-
/, tons found in the sorting out process
will be Investigated.
Mrs. Rumsey said that $4,000 cards
had been printed. Many hundreds were
distributed at the meeting.
Arthur Williams. Federal Food Ad-
ministrator, told 200 women who were
at the meeting that of $4,000 food shops
in the greater city he is satisfied that
the conditions of the Fair Price list are
being observed in at least 10000. The
remaining 5000, 1t is understood, largely
are stores which deliver purchases.
The committee is interested only In
cash and carry stores.
Mrs. Henry Moskowitz, secretary of
the Reconstruction Commission. and also
member of the Fair Price Committee.
said the committee would undertake an
educational campaign among women and
children.
The committee" she said, "is plan
ming a series of simple marketing les
! sons through the schools and settlement
! groups 1t wants to teach children the
difference between grades of potatoes
and how to tell No. l from No. 2
can OF tomatoes so that people will get
fair values for their money"
| Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw described
The entire undertaking of the women
as "a magnificent piece of public house,
keeping"
| The Rev. DR.. Jonathan C. Day, Com
missioner of Public Markets said:
IF we are to get improved food
prices, We must have improved distribu-
tion. l understand that big exporters
Of foodstuffs are dreaming OF acquiring
saloons to be vacated and making them
centres of distribution. They are not
going to do 1t for fun.
producers are organizing. Farmers
| up State repeatedly have urged the
Council of Farms and Markets to get
the consumers OF the cities to organ
! ize 30 they can sell direct to them.
J Unless you have the farmers organize
comparatively and the consumers do
likewise you will never have low prices. :"