Evening star., 1917-11-12
'H0ARDED FOOD To
Be PUT ON MARKET
Forty Million Dollars Worth,
Unearthed in New York,
to Be Released.
MORE FINDS EXPECTED

Foodstuffs to the amount OF approx
mately $4,000. 900. which have been
found in New York warehouses. where
most of it is being held by importers
of neutral countries of northern
Europe. are to be placed on the Ameri-
can market. either with or without the
consent of the present owners.
This was made plain at the United
States food administration today, fol-
lowing publication Of story from New
York that secret service men there had
found more than SI3,000.O00 worth OF
foodstuffs and metals in warehouses
there. where it is being held for export
officials in Washington were inclined
to regard the New York announcement
as premature. as the question OF releas-
ing this food for domestic markets al
ready has been taken up with neutral
importers through their governments.
but no reply has been received. What
ever the nature Of these replies. how
ever, the food will be taken out OF the
warehouses shortly. though Herbert
Hoover. United States food admins
traitor. is not inclined to use the power
of confiscation, which the government
allows him to exert to prevent hoard
ing, unless other methods fail.
Oats for Holland Suspected.
Discovery of more than 100000 BUSH
els of oats held in New York elevators
government to look with increased
suspicion on all goods so held, for
Holland has little or no use for such
a shipment of oats. but just across
it's border is the German cavalry, where
the need for oats is acute. Under these
conditions it is improbable that the
grain will ever Cross the Atlantic.
The $4o.00o.oo0 worth Of foodstuffs con-
sists principally Of corn. wheat. flour. cot
ton seed cake. cotton seed oil and con-
densed milk. Very little sugar is included
in the list. The goods are owned in many
different quarters. most OF the owners
being importers for Holland. Denmark.
Norway and Sweden. Money has been
borrowed on much of the goods. and the
banks are holding the warehouse receipts
as security.
Agent May Go From Here.
For the present the situation is being
handled through Arthur Williams. food
agent may be sent direct from Washing
ton if the need for one arises.
The discovery Of supplies in and
around New York city Is the result
by the secret service at the instance
Of Mr.. Hoover. Every warehouse and
cold storage house in the country iR
to be inspected by the sharp eyes of
food supplies must be accounted for
by the owners, who will be made to
show they are not violating the statute
against boarding.
Foodstu6s Found Stored.
NEW YORK, November 12.-Secret
service agents have discovered food
stuffs and other property valued at
more than $73,000.o00 stored in ware
been reported to the government as
required under the trading with-the-
enemy act. This is only small part
of what is expected to be uncovered
before the search ends.
Flour. sugar. eggs. butter and canned
goods of various kinds are contained
in the list of foodstuffs compiled by
the secret service men; large quantities
of iron. steel. copper. cotton and chem
icals also have been found. a part of
which, it was announced. is owned by
Germans.
The value of the foodstuffs not re-
ported to the government was placed
at $3S.496, ,742. and the metals. cotton
Bought With German Money.
It was stated that one consignment
of 100 bags Of jute is known to have
been bought with money deposited
here by the Deutsches Bank of Berlin
the official financial institution Of the
German government.
About three-quarters of the commodi-
ties Is said to be held as collateral for
loans made by banks. but nothing re-
be learned.
The secret service men made a detail
ed report of the amount of goods un-
earthed and the location Of the places
Of storage to Herbert C. Hoover. federal
food administrator. They reported the
material held by enemy aliens to A.
Mitchell Palmer. custodian of alien
property. and they informed Bernard
Baruch of the Council of National De-
fense of the location of cotton and
metal commodities.