Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-11-05
HOOvERIZE THE PENNIES
War Tax Makes Sudden Demand Sub
treasury Limits Supply Pennies
Scarce As Hens Teeth.

0NolGC ftS tACu lCEtus
Pennies here and everywhere are as
scarce as the proverbiaI hens teeth.
The sudden demand for pennies was
brought about through the operation
OF the War Tax law, which went into
eject Thursday The theatres espe-
cially have the greatest difficulty in
getting a supply of cents and many
have not sufficient to take care of to-
days rush, when patrons will flock
TO the theatres for the matinee.
The fact that 10-cent admission
tickets now cost the purchaser IL
cents means in most cases that the pa
iron will offer dime and a nickel
in payment, and this means 4 cents
change. All 25-cent theatre tickets
are now sold at IS cents, and here
again is a break of a nickel. 1t is
not until the admission reaches so
/ cents and then 81 that change can be
given without pennies
Other Articles Affected.
Cigars and cigarettes are also being
sold now for cents, IL and IL cents.
and tobacconists and drug stores
handling tobacco must have a good
supply of pennies on hand for MAX
Jig change. Breakfast foods, soaps,
crackers, bread and other articles pur-
chased in groceries are between and
Il cents or between 10 and 20 cents.
and this means pennies must be given
in change in the majority of cases of
sales.
One druggist in this city has run
short of pennies and has been un-
able to obtain more, and he an
pounced yesterday to his patrons that
henceforth he would not break
nickel A brand of soap that sells
nearly everywhere for s cents costs
10 cents in this store.
A call came to Baltimore yesterday
from a theatrical manager in Phila-
oelphia asking that he ship at any
cost Immediately as many pennies as
could be obtained. The Philadelphia
stated that he had been unable to OBJ
tain even small supply of pennies
and Thursday night was forced to
give out one-cent stamps as change.
He said that he had lain in a good
supply of the stamps, but that many
of his patrons objected to receiving
thel as legal tender.
An official of the United States Sub
treasury in Baltimore was asked yes
terday concerning conditions, and he
stated that he had received orders
from Washington to conserve the sup
ply of small change, as no more
would be available until January
Metals that usually go into the coin
age of pennies, nickels and dimes. he
said, now was in demand for the
manufacture of war munitions and for
other war purposes.
Subtreasury Limits Supply.
Baltimore banks with Southern
connections he said, "have been ur-
gently requesting from the Subtreas-
ury pennies in large amounts, but
they have been refused. We have
been limiting the supply to $50 in
pennies to an individual / am not
at liberty to state the amount we have
on hand but l can say that every
theatrical manager, vendor of wares
and others had better preserve their
pennies and make them go as far as
possible"
He added that it was as necessary
to "Hooverize" in the use of pennies
as in the use of flour, sugar and other
food products. Owners of match ma
chimes, penny chewing-gum boxes and
weighing machines have been urged
to aid in the present shortage and
likely they will open their money
boxes on the machines oftener and
keep the pennies in circulation.
Newsboys complain about the diff
Guilty in getting cents to make change
when a nickel or dime is offered
for a paper. and few have refused
to make a sale unless the prospective
purchaser had a penny ready