The sun., 1919-07-12
G. O.P. CLUB TURNS
COST PRICE MARKET
Wives of Twenty-first A. D.
Members Can Laugh at
Profiteers Now.
CONKLIN FORMED PLAN
Cooperative Store Best Way to
Help, He Says, Accepting
Leadership.

In the early mornings to come the
wives Of the members OF the Manhattan
Republican Club. the organisation centre
Of the Twenty-hrst Assembly District,
will carry their market baskets to the
club house instead of to the retail mar
kets Of the neighborhood, for the CLUB
has gone a step further than Tammany's
partrierchal efforts. Robert 8. Conklin,
Deputy Attorney-General and the new
Republican leader of the Twenty-frst.
announced yesterday that the Manhat-
tan Republican Clubs main business Is
to cut the cost of living for the families
Of Its members and that II will sell at
the club house butter. eggs, fresh veget-
ables and probably meats at little more
than cost price. It is a novel under
taking that has been planned by a polit-
ical organization, but Mr.. Conklin
thinks the plan is sure to succeed.
On Thursday night when Mr.. Conklin
assumed the leadership, succeeding John
T. McNeill, who retired because Of poor
health. he gave the 200 and odd members
a surprise when he said that he didn't
intend to do the thinking for an organ
ization Of chair warmers with no other
purpose than to boost the political am
millions of a few men.
Leader Defines Purpose.
IF take this leadership" said Conk-
lin. IT do not intend to spend my time
getting Jobs for members or alleged
members and getting people excused
from jury duty. A Republican club has
got to have a more useful mission IN
these days This club must not be main
tained Just for the benefit of chair warm
erA 1t has got to do something directly
Co NJ ~ no xxytya af
folk, Of the members. It has got to be
Of real service, and I can think Of moth
ing more useful than to provide q market
right here in the club house where the
families of our members can buy food
virtually at wholesale prices. I suggest
that we establish a cooperative store for
the sale of butter, eggs, milk, fresh
vegetables and staples, the members
putting up a small sum to provide the
initial capital.
IAN enterprise Of this kind will be
more useful than most of the activities
the club has been engaged in in the past.
Maybe the retail dealers Of the neigh
borhood will be offended, but the time
has gone by for trying to please every
body. There are more consumers than
retailers and I am for trying to help
the consumers cut down the cost of
living"
The suggestion was greeted with
cheers and the club promptly voted Mr..
tee was appointed to put the cooperative
store plan into effect and to provide for
the buying. the storing and the sale of
fcodstuffs at the club house. Mr.. Conk-
Inns idea Is to have the woman Republi-
cans of the district take the lead In rum
ming the club store Volunteers from
among the women will serve the store
on certain days In the market hours.
Saving to He Made.
ct have figured out" said Mr.. Conklln
to THE SUN yesterday, shat we can sell
food under this cooperative plan at a
saving OF from rs to 40 per cent. to our
members. We shall be able to benefit at
least 200 families. and no doubt the plan
will be extended to other Republican
clubs. The poli&e and flremen are plan
ming to do something of the kind by
establishing cooperative stores in police
stations and freI houses.
cit is up to political organizations to
DO something to check the dissatisfaction
and unrest all about US. and since much
Of this bad feeling is due to unnecessa-
rily high prices Of food and the suspicion
that a lot OF profiteering is going on.
political clubs have an actual duty OF
stepping In and helping the people. The
women OF my district are enthusiastic
for tho scheme. and with their practical
help am sure we will make a go Of 1t.
It's the only way I can think OF to get
rid of the middleman. who represents
an expense to the consumer which can
be spared"
the Manhattan Republican Club. which
ia at 474 West 141st street, has asked
tho Republican County Committee to
take cognizance of the cooperative store
plan, a proceeding which may wrinkle
the brows of the county leaders. because
the plan 10 going to be extremely un-
popular with storekeepers Mr.. Conklin
says he Is going ahead with the expert
ment In his district. whatever the county
committee may say about 1t. and ne
hopes that the county organization WIZ
have the good Judgment to recommend
food selling cooperation TO all OF the
cInh. In tha county organization.