Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-22
BARNEY ASKS ND.
GALA coNFkRENoG or WOMEN
TO FloHr n. g. or l.


Des Moines. Dec. 22.-,Iowa women
are to be called to attend mass meet
Ing in the house chambers. state cap
itol and formulate plans for the fight
TO finish against exorbitant prices.
w. p. Barner. state food and dairy
commissioners, will call the mass meet
Ing to order. He will invite Governor
Harding to be present and address the
gathering. Governor Harding will he
given Barney's high cost OF living in
vestigation report, and will be armed
with this when he faces the assem-
blage.
In his report Mr.. Barney will fatty
inform the women that I'VE pay too
much for our whistles" He will tell
them that an II Won't Pay 1t" club,
such as he advocated three weeks ago,
Is the only means to be taken to com
bat high prices.
Mr. Barney asks that women who
are in favor OF such mass meeting and
who will undertake committee work 10
get in touch with his office Monday.
A telephone call or post card will put
them in line for active work in the food
and dairy commissioners attack on
high prices.
Meet After Christmas.
The mass meeting Will be held as
soon as the Christmas holiday Is
passed. There is much preliminary
work to be done and Mr.. Barney says
1t will require time to get the women
to do the bulk Of the home buying or
ganized. No membership fees will be
exacted from those who Join in the
movement. The colonel's lady and
Judy O'Grady will be equally welcome,
the state food and dairy commissioner
says.
The food and dairy commissioner
intends to provide celluloid buttons
join in the campaign. A suitable de-
word Save" viii form the center
portion Of the pin or button. Around
the border will be lettering which will
read: II Won't Pay It."
Question Every Price.
Under Mr.. Barney's plan a mem.
Der Of the high cost Of living crusaders
will question every prica Of any arti-
Gle. II the price appears high or ex-
orbitant the wearer of the club emblem
will merely point to that emblem and
quit the store in which he is shopping.
It Is believed that a general refusal to
buy high or overpriced wares will
bring the market down to normal.
Illinois is now organizing such an
army a. was advocated by Mr.. Barney
three weeks ago. The women Of IL
linois have taken up the movement in
serious mood. It Is not a fad. but a
protest against further depletion OF
pocketbooks.
Prices will not come down until
men and women quit buying with an
air Of utter abandon" said Mr.. Barney.
THE trade has come to think that any
old prices asked will be paid. And
they have grounds for this attitude.
We who object seriously to run of
high prices on commodities and wear
ing apparel must organize and cut
down the demand for overpriced wares
or commodities.
II shall arrange for massmeeting
Of women and maybe a second meet
ing for men. to be held in the state
house assembly chambers. We may
as we'll face this situation. The quick
er we get together and adopt some
program to combat high prices the bet
ter off we all will be. Trade will not
be dulled, but will rather be settled
down to point Of sterilization"
To Pay Debts.
Mr.. Barney will further inform those
who attend the massmeetlng that now
Is a good time to pay debts. The $50
Of ave years ago and which remains
unpaid today, can be paid back. so Mr..
Barney says. actually for $25. He
bases this assertion upon the reduced
buying power Of the dollar, and says
that the $50 of yesterday will only
stretch S25 worth today,