The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-19
Just Wouldn't Quit Laying and
Storage Is GIutted.
More Than 2 Billion Now Held
in Store Houses.
FACE MILLIONS DOLLARS LOSS
Expected To Ship Abroad, but
Vessels Aren't Available.
Now Spectators Want Govt
To Come to Their Rescue.

New York, Oct 19-The use of cold
storage eggs as an army ration will be
suggested to the government, it was
learned today by representatives of
the Butter and Egg exchanges of Bos-
ton. Philadelphia and New York and
Chicago and the mercantile exchange
of New York. A committee consist
ing of one member each of these mar
kets plans to go to Washington with
the further suggestion that the federal
food officials fix a price which would
be on the usual basis of cost plus 10
per cent.
Chicago packers are said to own
millions of cold storage eggs for which
there is no demand because the supply
today greatly exceeds that which ex-
listed at the time the eggs were put
aside The holdings are said to be
1872 per cent greater than a year ago
and the market value is considerable
less than when they were put into
storage. Wholesalers are said to be
facing millions of dollars in losses un-
less cost plus 10 per cent price is
fixed arbitrarily by the government. 1t
was pointed out today that action
making the eggs an army ration would
take care of the oversupply
Hoover to Console With EN-
Chicago, Oct. 19.-Great interest
was felt here in the meeting of repre-
Sentatives of various egg boards. in
cluding Chicago to interest the gov
ernment in a surplus of eggs on which
holders are said to face a loss. John
Lovett, speaking for the Chicago
Butter and Egg board, said that this
committee was scheduled to meet
with Food Administrator Hoover at
o'clock this afternoon.
The peculiar interest felt here was
due to the fact that the local butter
and egg board yesterday gave out
statement which was accepted as
prophetic of still higher prices to the
consumer. This statement said that
there were now enough eggs in stor-
age to give one egg to each person on
every sixth day for the next six
months. The statement said that
there were here, ready for shipment
abroad. .esixty cars of eggs at Al cents
dozen free on board Chicago Mr.
bovett said that these figures were
not meant as an alarm, as they show
ed a normal condition of supplies. He
was asked concerning the 1872 per
! cent surplus over last year as re-
ported from New York, and said:
Hens Laying 'PatrioticalIy."
Egg packers expected to be called
upon to ship great quantities of eggs
! to Europe, but there has not been
| transports for them. The packers are
not trying to have the government
pull their chestnuts out of the fire
Eggs are now relatively cheaper than
/ gestion of an egg ration for that rea-
| SON."
Altho hens were reported laying
patriotically during the sum m r,
! prices remained at or over the high
! level of the winter, and this at the
/ time was said to be due to the heavy
supplies going into storage. 1t is now
said that the storage end was over
| done, and that unless the government
! makes eggs a ration, the spectators
in the aggregate will lose millions of
| dollars.
Twenty Eggs per Capita"
An egg census by the Chicago but
ter and egg board today revealed
there are 2,114,52S, ,04O eggs now con-
fined in 400 storage houses-or twen-
ty eggs for each person. with 76,S7S,-
460 left over.
If you insist on accuracy. you d
have to scramble these 76,87S,46O.
Then you would get an extra seventh
I of an egg apiece.
Strictly first class, 100 proof, aged
in the wood eggs, are now selling at
81 and 371a cepts a dozen wholesale.