The sun., 1919-08-16
Fair Price Committee Says
Actual Shortage Thus Might
Be Created.
HYLAN HUNTS FOR CACHE
Directs Fire Department to
Make Building Inspection
and Report Results.


campaign to put the brakes down hard
on high prices of eatables. The sugges-
ton came from Theodore whitmarsh.
yce-president of Francis II. Leggett.
who said that the small hoarder' should
be eliminated as well as the big fellow.
Mr.. Whitmarsh's idea is that IL families
throughout the country, fearing prices
are going to be higher. lay in large
stocks Of. for instance. canned tomatoes
now the stocks on hand will run out
soon. whereas IL they buy only what is
actually necessary there will be toma-
toes to go round later on and prices will
not be forced up by the law Of supply
and demand.
The recommendation was made public
following a preliminary conference in
the Chamber of Commerce, SIS Liberty
street. of the Fair Price Committee.
named by Arthur Williams, Federal
Food Administrator for this city. At the
same time Mr.. Williams announced that
prices of foodstuffs are not going any
higher" emphasizing his belief that the
Government and other agencies cooper
ating to curb prices. stop food profiteer-
ing will prove effective beyond doubt
Pronteers Seeking Cover.
That food profteers already are get
ting afraid Of the moral steam roller
that is being oiled up to fiatten out deal
ers without consciences is borne out by
the general dropping of the retail price
OF sugar to IL cents a pound by those
gIocers and others who have been charg-
ing a cent or more beyond the rate
which the Government says is fair
price"
Federal authorities were pleased yes
terday over an order issued by Mayor
Hylan directing Thomas ]. brennan,
Fire Commissioner. to have an inspection
made by his department of all storage
and warehouses in the city in an effort
to hnd out IL any foodstuffs are tucked
away in the hope OF higher prices.
II would suggest" the Mayor wrote,
shat these inspectors make an investi-
cation Of all butter, eggs, meats. sugar
and other foodstuffs stored and obtain
any other Information in regard to the
storing and boarding of the necessities
Of life, TO the end that the State or Fed
eral authorities and prosecuting officers
may be aided in every particular in
prosecuting hoarders OF foodstuffs"
Hidden In Old Buildings.
II long has been known that men
willing to take chances in the past filled
old buildings, never intended as store
houses with foodstuffs not requiring re-
frigeration and made fortunes on n ris-
ing market. These stores were never
officially reported. II Is believed hoard
ers caches" still exist. particularly in
certain places In or adjacent to the
wholesale produce district, and the Fire
Department inspectors are satisfied that
by looking around all buildings they will
be able to uncover a lot of things the
average man in the foodstuff trade
doesn't know anything about. Many OF
the Spectators who cashed in during
the war period never were engaged be-
fore in the food business.
Ben a. Matthews, Assistant United
States Attorney. said yesterday he has
received several specific complaints con-
corning overcharzing for sugar. He said
that II the facts are as alleged prosecu-
tons are going to follow. He said that
all general license regulations OF the
United States Food Administration are
still in force and 1t remains only for peo-
pie to bring the attention of the United
States Attorneys Office to violations to
assure prompt action.
Uncle Sam turned apple pedler" yes
terday. and his assistants, soldiers and
civilians, had a merry time as 'huck-
sters." Five great army motor trucks
loaded with cases of the finest fine
winesap apples toured the East Side.
West Side and all around the town.
The men on the wagons combined the
retailing of apples with a campaign OF
getting recruits for the army. Sales were
made direct to consumers on the streets.
Sale Yields Army $1,000.
The apples were among the surplus
food stocks of the War Department
Each case contained anywhere from 100
to 100 big red apples. Capt. ]. r. Heb
blethwaite. assistant zone supply officer
IN charge OF finance and transportation.
made the plans for the apple sales, and
the trucks were in direct charge of Lieut.
j j. Barrett About $1,000 was realized
on the sales-the peddllng. lasted from
to $3.50 p. M.-the appIss bringing a
return to Uncle Sam OF 1878 a box.
Sergeant James J. Lee was In charge
or an army apple cart that made its way
up Broadway from Thirty fourth street
The Broadway route was a success in
every detail. Jimmy, his assistants. Pri-
vate Fuhrman and two civilians, were
busy every minute.
derstand offered to buy the whole load
OF apples at So a box, which was $2.25
more than Jimmy was asking. and what
the sergeant didn't say to him wasn't
worth mentioning. The apples sold two
Tor nve" or three for ten." depending
on size.
There was such a rush OF officials of
municipalities to buy canned vegeta bles,
meats, &c, that Capt. HAbblethwalte
was compelled to shut down on sales
Tor yesterday and to-day.
1T was absolutely necessary for US
10 stop taking orders" he said, 80 we
0f
out Just exactly where we stand. It
has been most remarkable the way the
municipalities have taken to the Gov
ernment's offer OF surplus army food
etufrs"
The biggest kind Of business was done
Yesterday In the retailing of army blan-
kets at the headquarters of Capt. A. A.
stewart, zone surplus property OFFICER,
sol Eighth avenue. A vast number of
plankets-how many nobody knows yet
were sold on the second floor of the
building to men and women who ap-
preciated good thing when they saw
" The salesroom was damned during
the entire sale. and at times II was
feared there would be a riot. so eager
we're the people to get bargains. The
blankets sold from 81. so up to an all wool
blanket for Sc. The same kind OF blan-
kets. II is said. retailed elsewhere at
sl5. Hundreds OF soldiers, policemen
and hremen were among the purchasers.
Federal Food Administrator Williams
said yesterday that when his fair price
committee meets again next week. prob
IDLY on Monday or Wednesday, "A.
Mitchell Palmer. Attorney General. may
DC present. Fair price committees are
being organized In counties In this State
~ Deputy Federal Food Admlnistra-