New-York tribune., 1919-08-15

state of New York. and that to that end
l urgently ask that you detail at once
one of your staff to assist in an in
quiry into all Of the facts of the mat
ter"
District Attorney Swami said last
night that he has a definite plan in
view with which to combat the high
milk prices. he said he probably woulc
disclose it shortly. He added that his
investigation into food boarding is pro-
ceedng slowly but surely.
You cant push q button and get in
dictments against the great. corpora
tions," Mr.. Swami said "They are
hedged about BY astute counsel who act
on precedents. If there were fewer
precedents and more justice the people
might be better off,
He said he had carefully reviewed the
recrods of the indictment and convic-
tion of the poultry trust members, and
might pattern other prosecutions along
similar lines. The District Attorney =
letter to Police Commissioner Enright
on unlicensed storage warehouses fol
lows:
'In my investigation of the boarding
of food supplies it has come to my at
tention that unreasonable quantities of
food are being stored in buildings not
licensed as storage warehouses, nor
bearing any outward indication Of the
fact that food is being stored therein
wv ould it be possible for you to di-
rect the members of your department
doing duty in New York County to re-
port Immediately to you whether or not
there are any buildings on their posts
or IN their precincts in which they
have any reason to believe foodstuifs S
are being stored?
"ff thio could h. Jor. ~, wall.
discovering the hoarders of food sup
plies would be greatly Facilitated"
The investigators attached to tie Of
fee of Ben A. Matthews, Assistant
United States Attorney were busily en-
gagged yesterday checking up on reports
made by storage men. Mr.. Matthews
said that he intends to issue subpoenas
for dealers within few days. He was
confident that the inquiry is being con-
Quoted along lines which assure it of
ultimate success. He worked until a
late hour yesterday checking up on the
steady flow Of reports into his office.
Mr.. Matthews will confer with Ar
thur Williams to-day, chiefly to ascer-
tain the facts connected with the lat
ter's statement that he has informa-
tion on sugar boarding. The Assistant
United States Attorney will also attend
the first meeting of the fair price com
mittee, which will be held at o'clock
to-day at the Chamber of Commerce.
55 Liberty Street.
Mrs. Hearst on Committee
Mr. Williams announced yesterday
before ne departed for Washington
that Mrs William Randolph Hearst.
chairman of the Mayors Committee on
Reconstruction and Relief. has ac.
cepted the proffer of membership to
the fair price committee. Mrs Hearst
wired her acceptance from California.
District Attorney Lewis of Brooklyn
opened his fight on hoarders and
profiteers with letter to Governor
Smith, pleading the cooperation of his
forces with the special food commits
sioners appointed by the Governor.
He said in his letter that information
relating to the operations of hoarders
or profteers would be placed before the
regular county grand jury. He has as
signed three county detectives and AS
sistant District Attorney Albert Con-
way to the task of ferretng out the
vlolators of the food laws. He invited
Hrooklynites to give information on
any hoarders or protiteers
1t is understood that delicatessen
owners will be the objects of study by
some of the agencies interested in in
creasing the purchase price of the dol
lar. An investigation yesterday dis
closed that delicatessen store keepers
are taking advantage of the house
wives unwillingness or inability to
prepare food at home during the sum
mer months
Ham at 80 Cents
One large delicatessen store on Co.
lumbus Avenue quoted 80 cents as it's
prlce for ham. The government is sell
ing ham for 20 cents a pound. Food
experts and housewives question the
vast difference in the price of the raw
and cooked ham. Brisket corned beef
brings 81 in the dehcatessen stores. 1t
ls retailing at 40 cents uncooked in
Washington Market
Potatoes, according to the fair price
list, are cents a pound. When pur-
chased as potato salad in the Colum
bus Avenue delicatessen stores thew
cost 20 cents.
Canned goods in delicatessen stores
were 10 per cent or more higher than
the prices quoted in grocery stores.
The Federal Bureau of Markets re-
ported no change in the meat prices
yesterday, except in common steers.
These registered a drop of cents a
pound, but it was explained by H. B.
knoop, local representative, that the
grade Of beef is lower than that of
Wednesday