Evening star., 1918-01-20
Government Seeking Information Regarding the Supply of Fl

q 0NCLE SAM is about to take
stock of the national larder.
III II Under date of December 81. a
~ monster inventory is being
made Of all food resources Of the United
States. By January 81 Uncle Sam will
be in fair way to know what food
stocks he has on hand to last over until
next seasons crops come In; he will
know how much food he can spare for
the allies and how sparingly he should
make use of it at home.
This is the first time that stock has
ever been taken of the nations food
supply. A good housekeeper would
never think Of running her kitchen and
knowing what supplies she had in cellar
and pantry. but the United States has
existed through all these years. so
far as the nations provender Is con-
feasting as long as there is plenty and
doing without when there is none.
Now. with an indefinite drain upon
the nations cupboard in sight, Uncle
Sam has decided to find out where he
stands. and to take stock Of the pounds
ef sugar. the boxes of tea and the slabs
OF bacon laid by on pantry shelves.
Under an act Of Congress approved
by the President August 10. 1917, the
Secretary Of Agriculture was authorized
to Investigate and ascertain the de-
mand for. the supply, consumption,
costs and prices of. and the basic facts
relating to the ownership. production.
transportation, manufacture, storage
and distribution OF foods, food ma
terials. and any articles required In
connection with the production, distrI-
button or utilization of food" An ap-
lat jNv, P1~ 81 IL
and within a week after the bill had
been signed by the President the gi-
gantic stoek-taking enterprise had be-
gun.
To cover the whole field of available
food supplies is a great job. but it is
not too great for the resourcefulness
and ingenuity of the officials of the bu-
reau of markets and rural organization
of the Department of Agriculture.
Charles J. Brand, chief of this bureau.
Is the executive head of this stock-tak-
ing enterprise. A preliminary survey
is just about finished, and the big and
complete inventory of the nations food
stocks, including last seasons harvests.
is now in progress. A huge force of
clerks Is on the job handling the i'm
mense correspondence which is the
basis of this unprecedented task of
stock taking. and innumerable agents.
federal representatives and volunteer
workers are in the field taking inven-
tory of food stocks which cannot be
p1oye of the United States is in a posi-
ton to push the work along he is i'm
pressed into service. and if the existing
machinery of other divisions and de-
partments fits the needs of the survey
1t is straightway utilized by the men on
the food job.
The $4,000 regular township reporters
of the bureau of crop estimates report
on the amount of food products on
farms; county and state leaders. agri-
cultural and home economic agents and
other personnel connected with the
states relations service cover the food
stuffs in the households Of farm fami-
lies. and food and drug inspectors and
state and local health officials and in
spectors of the bureau of chemistry re-
cities.
-Four general classes of commodities
are being covered in this food drive.
They are:
Quantities of raw food products on
the farms. such as grain, live stock.
poultry, eggs and honey.
Stocks of food products nearer the
consumptive stage in manufacturing,
jobbing. wholesale, storing and other
commercial establishments, including
large retail stores.
Stocks In small retail establishments.