The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-12-27
COMMITTEE MAKES final
REPORT TO MAYOR MACNEY
Special Committee, Appointed Last August to Investigate
the High Cost Of Living, Completes Its Work-Valuable
Data Secured and Consumers League Organized

food profiteering and the greedy stunts
of Food Hogs of various breeds.
Mayor Magney and the other mem
bers of the city council happened to
have their ears to the ground at that
time and the cries of the populace at
last attained sufficient volume to be
heard by the listeners.
As a result of the agitation, many
complaints and general turmoil, the last
of August, Mayor Magney appointed a
special committee to investigate the
high cost of living. The city council
then appropriated $1,000 for use of
that committee in it's investigations.
The committee as originally named
had eighteen members. Several never
served and a few others gave only
nominal service. The others worked
early and late in many instances. The
chairman, especially, gave freely of his
big and valuable store Of experience
and skill in getting at. facts.
The membership of the committee
was as follows, viz: John B. Richards,
chairman; Mrs. G. E. Spring, Mrs. G.
S. Mitchell, Mrs. o. H. Rowe, John E.
Jensen, H. II. Stone, w. o. Pealer, Da-
vid J. Erickson, Henry Dworshak, Jr.,
Z. H. Whalen, E. J. Kenney, H. w.
Richardson, A. G. Catlin, Frank R.
Zimmerman, H. G. Ash, Harry w. Lam
ners, w. B. Patton and Thomas Bards-
ley.
Of that number, Mrs. G. s. Mitchell,
Mrs. o. H. Rowe, w. B. Patton and
Thomas Bardsley never qualified for
membership and work, ignoring the
mayor, the committee and the public.
Z. H. Whalen and E. J. Kenney gave
the committee only nominal service.
The general committee was divided
into ubcommittees.
The committees and those who actu-
ally gave service thereon were as fol-
lows, viz:
Food Committee-H. w. Richardson,
chairman; H. H. Stone, David J. Erick.
son, HI. w. tanners Mrs. G. E. Spring,
Henry Dworshak Jr., John E. Jensen.
Clothing Committee-A. G.. Catlin.
Shelter Committee-W. O. Pealer,
Fl. G. Ash.
Laws and Legislation Committee
j. B. Richards, chairman; H. w. Lam
ners, E. }. Kenney.
The food committee made one very
enlightening report which was printed
in full by the Rip-saw. The daily
papers ignored it but, finally, after
being taken to task by members of
the committee, the News Tribune
printed the report as rendered.
Mr.. Pealer gave some interesting re-
ports on rent and building situations
but they never were formally written
out and given to the local papers.
Mr.. Catlin had to go it alone in try
ing to secure information as to cloth
ing costs and other matters incident to
the clothing situation. He did much
work and reported verbally to the gen.
cral committee but no written reports
ever have been seen. ...
A subcommittee on milk gathered a
mass of facts and did considerable in
vestigating but the public never has
had the benefit.
The mayors special committee, by
the way, employed secretary who also
was short hand reporter, on q salary.
The permanent work of the mayor g
special committee seems to be the in
corporation and organization of the St..
Louis County Consumers League of
Duluth, Minnesota. This organization
expects to be active and effective in
several different ways. It already has
started the work of securing supplies
Tor the consumer at better prices than
have been obtainable in the regular
markets. Some details as to this League
are given in the final report Of the
mayors special committee.
On Wednesday night of last week,
the mayors special committee met and
approved final report to the mayor.
directors as follows were elected, viz:
John B. Richards, II. W. Richardson,
W. y. Pealer, H. w. Lanners, Henry
Dworshak. Jr., A. G.. Catlin, David j.
Erickson and John Goodwin. Six places
yet are to be filled. They were left
open to enable the various women q
organizations to select a representative
ana to give time to make the person
mel of the board of directors. broad.
t;,in and more fully representa-
i've OF the general public.
Inc final report of the mayor 8 spe-
cial committee to investigate the high
cost of living was as follows, viz:
"Your committee appointed the lat
ter part Of August, 1919, to study and
investigate the high cost of living in
Duluth begs leave to submit the follow
ing:
cit is final report in view of the
fact that the whole purpose of the ex-
istence of the committee is permanent
ly accomplished by the incorporation of
a consumers league with a permanent
board of directors who will sit once a
week throughout the year serving all
the purposes of the committee appoint
ed by your honor.
"The committee begs leave to report
that it promptly met and organized,
appointed subcommittee whose duty
it was to examine into existing condi-
tions along special lines relating to
food, clothing, shelter, and laws and
legislation. In the main, the general
committee has met once a week since
its appointment, the sessions being
0Hrn& II