The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-04-19

NCLE SAM FOR the nrst
ZCL>ZA tim, 20 the history ~
Wt<X the United States has
W :. :. :: =. :. !. :. J. !: !. !. !: !. !: !. +: !. !. !: !. !. !.
C4Mn taken stock u the nn-
~ tionnl lnrdcr. A mon.
ster inventory Inns been
Y" sources IN the United
States. aud now Uncle
sam i. n "a fair way 20 know what
food shocks he hns on hand 10 last
over untl next seasons crops cume In.
how much food he cnn spare for the
allies. and how spadngly he should
make use Of u nj home.
Under an act of congress approved
by the president August 10. 1917, the
secretary 81 agriculture WINS authorized
20 investigate and ascertain the de-
mand Tor. the supply. consumption,
costs aud prices o.. aud the basic facts
relating 10 the ownership, production
transportation, manufacture, storage
ana distribution 81 foods, food mate
rails and any articles required IN con
ncction with the production, distrihu-
ton or utilization Of food. An appror
priation was granted for the survey.
and within a week after the bill had
been signed by the president schedules
were In outgoing mails TO food mer
chants aud manufacturers.
Here are sore facts regarding the
correspondence which formed the ha-
sis OF the nationwide food inventory.
The master list which vas complied
BY the bureau OF markets was made mp
OF $4,000 m There were 1900
grain. -four and feed dealers; LOO
brewers, 500 distillers. $500 canners OF
fruits, vegetables and sea foods; LOO
renners and dealers In edible oils, l..
800 sugar and syrup renners, $1,000
wholesale and retail bakers, 100 nsh
freezing plants. and 80 on through the
hundred or more classified food trades
A huge force Of clerks vas kept
busy mailing schedules and sorting
editing and classifying the returned re
ports. The whole master list wni
more than duplicated BY follow up let
tiers and letters giving special lnforma
tion. The inventory covered 80 lead
INK NnOu NNNIlN MNAM WNNMhMA - NNAANhN
returns OF the years harvests.
-Four general classes OF commodltieI
were covered First. quantities OF raw
products on the farms, such ns grain
live stock. poultry, eggs and honey
second. stocks OF food products neare
the consuming stage In manufacturing
Jobhlng. wholesale, storage and othe
commercial establishments; third
stocks IN small retail establishments
fourth, food supplies on the shelye
and In the bins of the family pantry.
Done Largely by Mall.
The most important part OF Uncl
Sans stock taking Job mi done b
correspondence with food dealers an
makers. But Il was not possible {
inventory all food stocks by mai
There were 10000 small retail grocer
who, through inability 10 read or NJ
derstand English. were unable 10 carr
out the instructions OF the schedule.
would have been quite impossible I
inventory each one OF these small col
Germs by personal canvass. Therefor
the bureau resorted to estimates base
o n a detniled survey OF r~epresentatiS
counties.
Az a basis OF selection for these tyT
counties, all the counties In the Unite
states were divided into seven grouT
according TO the size Of the largest Vi
lage, town or city contained In eacI
The FIRST group consisted Of % metr'
polltnn districts, In a number OF Il
stances embracing all or parts OF se'
eral counties; the second group co
tanned 10 smaller metropolitan di