Evening star., 1923-05-24
THREATEN BOYCOTT
TO CURB GOUC|NC
OF SHRINE HOSTS
Reports That Prices Have
Already Advanced Are
Being Investigated.
INCREASE is JUSTIFIED,
SAY ICE CREAM MAKERS
Declare Cost of Manufacture Has
Gone Up-Oficials Ready
for Drastic Action.

Charges that q group Of Washing
ION restaurateurs and other com
mercial establishments have already
embarked upon campaign Of gong
ing brought from officials at Shrine
headquarters today a promise OF an
Immediate investigation and the es-
tablishment of q boycott upon any
house or organization that attempts
to exact unfair prices during the rush
of Shrine week.
Official cognizance was taken by
both Shrine officials and the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
tion today of persistent reports that
certain ice cream dealers. bakers ana
restaurateu-s have already an
nounced increases in the price Of
their commodities ranging from 20
per cent up. Both of these organi-
zatlOns inaugurated investiSa .ioIs
through their proper officers.
lee Cream Prices IN.
An unofficial inquiry among ice
cream dealers today showed that ice
cream prices in Washington have
been increased 20 cents on the gallon
in the last week. bearers explained
the increase by increased cost of pro-
ductiOn.
l.. 2. Steuart, potentate Of Almas
Temple. said today: Washington
cannot permit an.' unSCrupulouS mer-
chants to take unfair advantage of
its guests. They are going To leave
S10.000.N00 here. in the name OF
everything that is decent give them
their moneys worth. at least.
The food committee of Almas Tenn
pie had a corps Of investigators can
r. IVNC
ton this morning. demanding to see
their list of prices for Shrine week.
Other workers were sent 10 call upon
the bakers and ice cream manufac-
turers. Nothing has created more of
a sensation around Shrine headquar-
ters since it opened than the con-
stantly increasing number of reports
concerning prospective gougiug.
Boycott Favored.
Every official questioned decla red
him self ready TO stand behind gen
uine boycott upon all articles for
which excessive prices are asked
The Shrine made it plain. in addi-
ton. that il is well capable of en-
forcing such a ban. and it was even
suggested that every member of the
order coming to Washington would
be pledged not to touch any article
declared unfair
BY this means. the Shrine committee
mere dSSeIttu. IL tOultl IMAM d
promise that the 100000 visitors to
Washington during the meeting of
the Imperial Council will not be
asked TO pay exorbitant prices for
any article-foOd. clothing or hous-
ing. In this connection 1t was pointed
out that the city'S warehouses have
submitted official reports showing
that they have on hand right now
enough staple foodstuffs to feed
" Washington and all of it's visitors for
sixty days. With this information in
hand. the Shrine officials made 1t plain
there could be no excuse for gouginG
and that none would be brooked.
Investigation Ordered.
Gen. Anton Stephan. president Of
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association. today directed the secre-
tary, Charles J. Columbus. to imme-
diately institute ap investigation to
determine the truth of reports Of
gouging here. The investigation will
begin Immediately and. until the re-
port of the facts is in. il will not
be determined just what will be done
in the matter should any cases be
found.
Specifically. Gen. Stephan had he
fore him a newspaper clipping from
New York newspaper and sent to
1T from its Washington bureau. which
told Of alleged profiteering here. The
story said that people would have to
sleep fifteen in Il room, that certain
classes of business men were smack
ing their lips over the prospective
high profits they were planning 10
make. 1t has also been called TO
President Stephan's attention that
there is absolutely knowledge of at
least one firm which has increa sed
the sale price of it's product
Gen. Stephan made it known that
he was wholly out of sympathy with
such moves. and expressed regret
that articles should be sent over the
country announcing profiteering if
the facts did not bear them out 1t
is for the purpose of determining the
directed thorough investigation Of
the matter.
Increase Declared Justified.
Ice cream manufactured by the
Chapin-Sacks corporation is selling
in Washington today at the war time
peak price. as a result OF an increas Sc
of 20 cents gallon in the wholesale
price. The increase became effective
last Saturday, when notice was served
on the retailers that the cost of the
cream would be S1.40 a gallon instead
of S1.2O.
Retailers in turn raised the price
of the cream proportionately. Some
advanced 1t cents on the quart and
others 10 cents. Fifty-five and so
cents a quart are the prices prevail
ing at the stores handling the
Chapin-Sacks product.
Arthur A. Chaplin. president of the
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