The evening world. Newspaper, August 13, 1914, Page 6

“ey *e y THE EVENING WORLD, THURSDAY, AUGUST Tt waa said the first report woud | veatigators are especially anxious to] thing when probably be sent Monday. get at the bottom of increases In the! remain | a ese these. and p PROSECUTOR AND jugar market to-day buzzed | will by ly reduced. Of course,! while there has been no change in | MAYOR ON LOOKOUT pli Lege A far gue N-| Imported stuffs must be excepted’ either the supply or the demand for | ulator who bought on # $15,000 mar-| from that rule, You can’t blame the! the product FOR PRICE RAISERS. | gin a few weeks ago. The two cont) qmail dealer fer hia desire to make| Butter and eggs continued to climb! | increase in price has given him now | money, but he's the chap who's caus-| to-day, the former teaching 35 cents 18, 1924. iked the country to| been brought to the office where the Let this yneasiness end! prices of food dealt in by these mer- hat have been inflated! chants have been doubled In a week, DENT ALLS ATTORNE- GENERAL Mayor Mitchel and District ~—_TOALT HH FOOD PaGES foodstuffs, Faithfully yours, {Continued from First Page.) “JAMES C. M'REYNOLDS, The President at once instructed Secretary Redfield to have his agents begin similar investigations The United States District-attor- to the unwarranted increase | e price of foodstuffs. e head of our special agents has Instructed to give directions to men throughout the country to investigations in order to as- be the real facta, and I am send- the various district attorneys sim- instructions. This should enable oe wecure some definite informa- in respect of true conditions. y I take the liberty of suggest- that perhaps the agente of tne ment of Commerce could ren- fF valuable assistance along the indicated? we have become somewhat familiar with the exact situa- I bope to be able to make you this afternoon to the telegram from the Department of Justice at Wash- ington requesting an immediate in- vestigation of the high cost of food- stuffs in thie city. ‘Within five minutes after Assistant United States District-Attorney Wood, who ie in charge of the office during the vacation absence of District-At- torney Marshall, received the telegram, he started out five investigators. They were inatructed to interview wholesalers and retailers throughout the city, inquire the prices at which thelr goods are offered and the «| vance these prices represent. In cordance with the telegram from Washington, reports will be sent to the Department “as soon as possible.” I (oe , Hot weather, hard work and the nervous strain of these ex- citing times tire you out and exhaust your vitality. You need ~~ WINCARNIS, the Famous English Tonic, to renew your strength and your supply of nervous energy. There are no drugs in it— nothing but concentrated vitalizing food ele- ments combined with a pure wine. Used in England 30 years; recommended by 10,000 ns. i two or three times a day usual- Dri Shien gales ae ours Stern Brothers + a 4nd and 43rd Streets, West of Filth Avenue. To-morrow, on the Main Floor Special Counters * Women’s $1.25 Pure Thread Silk es Stockings, at 69c All-Silk or with lisle thread tops and soles; black or white. f Women’s $3.95 China Silk Waists, at $1.95 In white or black, long or three quarter sleeves. Women’s $1.25 Muslin Night Gowns at 79c . if Made of Nainsook and Cambric, in a variety of styles. ’ Women’s $1.55 Petticoats at 90c i Made of Pique, Satin and Nainsook. ! Women’s $1.25 Handkerchiefs, at 90c a doz. Made of sheer Shamrock Lawn, with tape borders and : Girls’ Washable Frocks, at 95c, $1.75 and 2.85 ‘ Values $2.95 to 10.50 Sizes 6 to 14 years; about twenty models, in many de- sirable fabrics, such as Ginghams, Tissues, Lawns, Ramie and French Linens, $8.50 Real Madeira Tea Napkins, i, at $4.75 a doz. Hand embroidered corners, edges rose scalloped, regularly $8.50 a doz. ($7.50 Gold Plated Vanity Cases “Attorney-General.” | ney’s office made prompt response torney Whitman set in motion to-day two investigations aimed at diaclon- ing and bringing to punishment the |men responsible for the increasing |prices of foodstuffs, clothing and household necessities. There is no longer any belief that the European war In responsible for high prices here except in the case of commodities which originate abroad or of which the raw product must be imported. Announcing that the people of the city “have begun to suffer from a war without having the legal right to adopt the summary measures that « Government can enforce when in a state of war,” Mayor Mitchel named his committee which is to attempt to protect the community from famine food prices at the hands of specu- Jatore. George W. Perkins is chairman. It will have almost as sweeping powers as @ military board in time of war. To force the price of foodstuffs down to thelr honest, normal level police power will be used, if necessary. Hundreds of detectives have already bee. specially assigned to make in- ‘vestigations of reports that thousands of tons of vegetables are lying rotting in cars on the Jersey meadows and at other terminals between Port Jervis and Buffalo. Jaspector of the Department of Health will be ordered to assist in finding deaters who are charging ¢x(drtionate prices. . The Committee of Fifty will meet in the Council Chamber of the City Hall to-morrow at 11 o'clock. Among thode who will act op the committee are Cyrus. Miller, F. A. Vanderlip, ‘James Speyer, Timothy Healy, Theo- dose P. Shonts, Melville E. Stone, Ox- eAt | a Profit of $400,000 which the public| ing the high prices paid. In the steel market, too, it oe said that one big company had raised Ita price to-day solely because sbip- | Ping difficulties had temporarily re- moved Europe from competition. ‘The declaration of packers that the retail butchers were responsible for the rise in price of meats aroused |Indignation to-day. Retailers de- clared that they were making small Profit even at the prices now asked and accused the packers of publishing one price and asking another. ‘They said that they had to sell at 16 and 18 cents a pound about half of the prime ribs for which they paid the packers 20 «nts. The other, and better half, sold at 26 to 28 cents, gave them a profit of only about two cents, Sixteen cents » pound for a whole steer became about 20 cents when it was cut and trimmed and yet could be sold for only 21 to 23 cents. In the last four days the whole- sale price-of beef has advanced from one-half to two cents a pound, the! retailers declared, Lamb, which had risen three and four cents, dropped half @ cent to-day, the retailers be- eve, because the market is over- stocked and the wholesalers are be- coming alarmed at constant agita- tion. Prices continued to advance yester- day until there was practic * not a food commodity on the market, ex- cept vegetables ang frult, which did Rot show an increase. ‘The greatest rise noticed in the pro- vision market is that of lentils, which now wholesale for 10 cents a pound instead of the 8 cents charged two weeks ago. Sardines are up 25 per cent., and raisins will be costly whee the fall crop comes in, though no ap- preciable rise has occurred in the ' | present market. Heath, George McAneny, Mgr. M. J. Lavelle, Francis Lynde Stetson, Her- bert L. Satterlee, Joseph Barondess, Henry C. Stuart, Frederick L. Cran- ford, Cart Koelach, Otto Von Schrenk, Jacob H. Schiff, Otto T. Bannard, Eugene H, Outerbridge, R. Fulton Cut- ting, J. B. Greenhut, Robert W. de Forest, Herman A. Metz, George Har- vey, Mrs, Henry Villard, Miss Kath- B. Davis, Bishop David H. Vincent Astor, Isaac N. Selig- man, Thomas M. Mulry. « F. W. Woolworth, Adolph 8. Ocha, Ralph Pulitzer, William C. Reick, Marcus M. Marks, erkins, Theodore N. Vall, John D. Crimmins, Michael J. Mulqueen, Robert Bacon, Miss Vir- ginia Gilderaleeve, Cleveland H. Dodge, Louls Wiley, Bilisabeth J. Toms, Victor Ridder. In an address to the committeemen on their appointment, the Mayor said: “An unprecedented situation con- fronts the city, Asa result of the al- most total cessation of foreign com- merce, thousands of our citizens have been thrown out of work at @ mo- ment's notice, “Prices of food and other nocossaries have begun to rise. How much of this increase in price is attributable to legitimately greater demands, how much is due to a selfish ho-rding of provisions, and how much is ascrib- TEA AND COFFEE BOTH TAKE BIG JUMPS IN PRICE. Tea and coffee have both hed big Jumps, with prospects of a bigger ad- vance in tea, Middle grade coffee retails to-day at a 6 cent advance over Aug. 1, and tea closely follows with 4 centa Tea may be 10 cents & pound higher before October. Spices have jumped 20 per cent. wholesale in two weeks, Among other native products meal has already risen from $1.76 a barrel, wholesale, to $2.15. Rice has advanced & cent a pound, with every possibility of a five-cent rise if the imports from China are cut off. The new crop has not come in yet, and investigators say there is no excuse for a big rise. Sugar yesterday went up another half cent on its dissy climb toward the predicted 10 or 16 cents a pound. While meat was stationary at the almost prohibitive figures prevailing since the beginning of the week, the trade heard that the packers would @nnounce a further advance in prices to-day. Eggs and butter each went up a halt-cent yesterday. The rise was declared to be entirely seasonal, prices invariably going up as summer! wanes. “It's speculation that’s causing the price of staple food articles to rise,” said Harry Balfe, vice-president and able to rapacity of unscrupulous deal- ors, Ia tter for examina’ Mr. Whitman decided this afternoon to cancel his customary week-end trip out of the city and give immedi- ately all ttention to the investi- galam of the increased price of food- atigfe, Although Aaaistant District- Attorney William A. De Ford was summoned to his office from his vaca- | tion two days ahead of time, to work ‘on the case, Mr. Whitman will take Personal charge of the Investigatior He has already arranged for conf ences with Roger A. Babson, a recog- nized authority on economics and prices generally, and with Mra. Julian Heath, the President of the House- wives’ League. If sufMfictent and proper evidence ahgll-be forthcoming a John Doe pro- ‘oeeding will be undertaken to fix the Personal responsibility for the unjus- tiflable advance in the price of food- conferences with committees and tn- dividual members of the Produce Ex- change. And to the end of learning all there is to be learned, Mr. Whit- man desires that any citizens who have information which they deem of value to him in the matter of food prices shall confer with him. PROSECUTOR SEES NO REASON FOR ADVANCES. general manager of Austin & Nicholls, the largest wholesale provision house in the United States. “Small dealers who usually buy ten cases of goods are asking for a hun- dred cases, They're all taking a chance! When that's true, the market must rise till the bottom falls out, and I'm afraid it won't fall out until the war scare is over. ADVANCE IN IMPORTED GO. 0S NATURAL, HE SAYS. “President Wilson said the right ie SY \ Except in in- | from 33% and the latter mounting stances where we have be . forced! two cents from 33, wholesale prices. to buy goods at higher ra:.s, wo are) ‘There is a big demand for butter, it now furnishing ow ustomers goods | was said, and the price may continue! at the same prices as L.!ors war was| upward. Eggs not only are not plen- declared. We intend keeping this up) tiful, dealers say, but are not up to) until re forced to replenish our! standard in quality, which helps raiss own stock.” . the price of first class products. Lard Mr. Balfe pointed out that the high | advanced % cents a hundred pounds rates of exchange between America| and pork ribs rosé 30 cents a hundred and Europe, and the 25 per cent. wer! ‘The Rubber Club of America, the insurance on ships and cargoes, natu- | national rubber trade association, t9- rally caused a tremendous rise in the| sued a statement to-day declaring cost of imported articles. To this/that manufacturers of rubber must be added the scarcity of the| throughout this country had been supply of foreign goods in America. | opjiged to increase prices. The break- He added that foreign provisions now | ing down of international exchange, in Atherica will last apout two weeks) together with the relatively small longer. After that either native sub-| suppiy of crude rubber in the hands stitute must be used or the country} 6¢ manufacturers, besides the diffi- must do without, culty of rubber importers In deliver- Particular attention will be paid to | ing crude rubber on their future con- the prices of meats, butter, eggs and | tracts, due to the sudden cutting off other foods handled by commission | of shipping facilities, have contribut- merchants. Instances have already ed to this. B. Altman & Co. have prepared for to-morrow (Friday) A Special Reduction Sale of Men’s Outing Garments (sizes incomplete) which have been marked, in order to insure an immediate disposal, at prices that are fully one-third to one-half lower than usual. Men's Outing Coats, in Norfoik style, made of fine quality blue serge . - at $9.50 Men’s Outing Trousers of white or striped flannel, striped serge or gray flannel, $3.25 Men's Linen Motor Dusters . at 3.50 Men’s Sweater-knit Bathing Suits at 3.75 Men’s Leather Belts . . . at 45c¢ #. Altman & Cn. . have made extensive preparations for An Interesting Sale of Oriental Rugs in all the desirable sizes, at about one-half the aetual values. Details of this Sale will be announced in the course of a few days. CCT wally? Boot SAk > NEW YOR ; oe ~e \ Dy EE RK A “It seems to me,” Mr. Whitman| Be sald this afternoon, “that there is no} apparent legitimate reason why the) BE price of American produced food, Hm a 75 | mould be no greatly increased. Take| fH 500Pairs of Pumps & Colonials | flour, for instance, I am told that it| sian | bas gone to $7 @ barrel, an advance! & Were $3.50 to$6; 1.95 | of a dollar or more above the normal | fig White, tan, patent and dull calfskin. | price. ‘This pountry produces flour | fp) Al! the best designs, an unusual oppor. for the whole world, and if it cannot | BB be exported now it would seem that $1.95. the price sbould be lower instead of Flour {s one of the first commodi- | tles 1 shall investigate, and I shall ask for conferences with committees | and members of the Produce Ex change to see what justification there is for such an advance, “It ts difficult, of course, to prove conspiracy in any cases, because these days men don’t put their names to paper, But if we are able to col- lect sufficient and proper evidence I nials and Oxfords All patent leather shall begin John Doe proceedings and at $3.75 thin oblong models, with. appropriate fittings. ne, In ee ath shoes, Also some colored sift the matter to the very bottom. " ies, Meats, vegetables, fruits, but- ter, four, wheat and gt are not ‘included in this qmail Het the ta- tunity at 1,500 Pairs of Pumps, Colo- Were $4 to $7; now $2.95 te seasonable styles, latest toe heel effects. Tan, white, black and gun-metal. Included are White Nubuck and Tan Calf sports quarter novel- Queen Quality Summer Footwear At Phenomenally Low Prices For Post-Inventory Stock Adjust- ment Sale—a great many shoes have been reduced to helf former prices, Some even lower. Fall footwear will be arriving soon. We must make room for height of the summer season, greatly reduced, Charge accounts solicited. 600 Pairs Pumps and Colonials Reg.$4.50 to $7 vals.now $3.45 Up-toadate models, Dull kid and tent colt skin. Mhite Buckski opular recede toe models, Spanish Louis Heels Wonderful value at the reduction price it long before our customers are 700 Pairs Pumps and Colonials ready to buy it. So now, in the Price $5 to $8; now $3.95 These are the last word in f our summer stock must be super atest colored quarter effects. I bronse kid-skin, dull calf-skin and patent colt, Really great value. Store Closed All Day Saturday Every Man and Woman Who Needs Hosiery and Underwear Very special purchase makes these very special offerings Please note that in every case where we = make price.comparisons we have made them with our own stocks, which we know to be the best quality obtainable at their price. _ The “‘millrun’’ stockings mentioned have slight imperfections in knitting for their only hurts, : Women’s Silk Stockings 75c pair, mill run of $1 to $1.35 grades. Black, white and colors. All silk or with mercerized tops. $1.15 pair, equal our regular $1.50 grades. Black pure silk, plain or with open; work side clox. Double silk tops. Cotton soles, Main floor, Old Building. Women’s Underwear 50c each, formerly here at 75c. White ribbed lisle combination suits, plain or lace trimmed knees. 36 and 38 only. 25c each, equal to our 35c pf grades, Vests of white ribbed cotton, with hand crocheted yokes. Main floor, Old Building. Men’s Silk Half Hose 25c pair, “seconds” of 50c grades. Black or plain colors, pure silk, with double soles and high spliced heels. Men’s Combination Suits 55c each, equal to our $ grades, Sleeveless, length, closed crotch. nainsook or plaid madras. 75c each, equal to our $1.50 grades. Thin, coo! Panama cloth, sleeveless, knee length, closed crotch. Burlington Arcade floor, New Bldg. Final Prices of Women’s Untrimmed Hats This includes all the straw hats we have left. Originally priced $1 to $14 and now are offered for 25c¢ 50c_ =—$t Ss $2 Subway Floor, Old Bldg. Great Movement of Men’sand Women’sShoes : Now Going On It includes shoes taken from our own regular stocks— practically every kind that men and women are now wearing or wanting. And every pair is repriced so low that you can get two pairs for but a trifle more than the original price of one pair. _ Here are two examples of the great variety in this offering:— For Women, $2.50 Low Shoes at $1.50 Every pair of our own “Lady Betty” low shoes in this offering. The “Lady Betty” is known as the best $2.50 shoe that can be produced. Patent leather, dull black and tan calf, and black kid. All sizes—214 to 8; A to D widths, For Men—$3 and $4 Oxfords at $2 Until today we had not included in this $2 offering our regular $4 shoes. The $3 shoes are our own standard grade at the price. Both shoes have built up a proud reputation. Tan calf and black Russian calf. Not all sizes in each style but all sizes in the entire lot—5 to 11 and A to KE, Subway floor, Old Building. 1,000 Extra Good Shirtwaists, 65c Manufacturer had a surplus of shirt waists—our regular $1 kinds—which we have secured to offer at 65c, Every one of them is fresh—waists that one likes to wear on vacations. Plain or trimmed with laces and embroideries. Sizes 34 to 44. Subway floor, Old Building, W STORE FOR MEN Friday Morning (Closed All Day Saturday) 347 Men’s and Young Men’s Suits at $7.75 Broadway, Corner Eighth. The original prices of all these suits were much higher, They are all light-weight suits for