The Topeka state journal., 1919-05-13
Declare His Action viii Not
Keep Meat Prices Up.
Decision To Sell 264, 100000
Pounds Abroad Upheld.
MOSTLY CANNED PRODUCTS
Sharp Dissatisfaction Is Evil
denced In Many Quarters.
Senator Kenyon Threatens to
Demand Congressional Probe.

Chicago. May 13.-Consumers, retail
meat dealers and refrigerating experts
here today declared that the 264, 4,0OO.-
900 pound meat surplus in possession
of the government would make little
difference in prices. if dumped on the
domestic market.
All were a unit in recommending
the sale of the canned meat abroad.
where they said it was needed far
more than on this side The real rea-
price if the meat went to dealers in
the United States is the refusal of the
average American to eat canned
meats, they said.
No Market Hero. She Says.
Mrs. Caroline Bley, president of the
Clean Food club here, and also
prominent member of the Housewives
league. said the canned meat would
have no market in this country. ex-
cept as it was bought up for lumber
camps and other places difficult of
access.
IN the average American home, the
fresh meat habit is too strongly de-
veloped to permit purchase OF canned
meat except in rare cases." said Mrs.
Bley The price of fresh meats would
not be materially affected by Dump
ing the canned variety on the mar
ket."
John A. Newman. refrigerating ex-
pert. said the surplus really was not
so large. He said it would supply ev-
cry family in the United States with
only about a weeks meat-if the
housewives would take kindly to
canned meat.
Temporary Reduction.
Newman believed there would be a
temporary reduction in meat prices all
along the line if the surplus was re-
leased in the United States. The drop.
he said, would be caused more by SEN
timent than by reality.
THE figures seem large, he said.
People don't realize how little the
amount is when spread around. But
retailers would think prices were about
to drop and so would stop buying.
Wholesalers would find themselves
with large accumulations of meat. 1t
would mean cutting prices to move
| the stuff The consumer would bene-
fit, but only temporarily. Prices would
go back
Retail meat men agreed that prices
would be little affected.
Packers Express Surprise.
Packers were surprised to learn Of
the big meat surplus, according to r.
W WaddeII of Armour & Company.
This supply would be excellent in
breaking a famine, according to Wad-
dell. Packed for expedition rather
than looks and for keeping qualities
rather than for appealing to delicate
palates, he said these tins might not
sell readily in this country.
Labor's big wages have eliminated
to a great extent a demand for cheap
products. he said. One class as well
as another demands the best of every
thing. This suddenly cultivated appe-
tite for high class go IDS, Waddell said,
proba bly, will prevent serious criticism
of any plan to sustain prices.
Washington Criticiscs.
Washington. May y13.-Agreement of
the war department to unload its sur
plus meat supplies abroad. thus saving
losses to big packers in the Unit Il
States, brought immediate and sharp
dissatisfaction in many quarters today.
Senator Kenyon, Iowa, declared his
intention of looking into the war de-
partment deal by means of a senate
resolution.
The National Consumers league, of
which Secretary of War Baker is
president, was aroused by the war
departments action and was hearing
from its membership thruout the
country today.
A statement from league headquar-
ters said there has never been time
when there was so little meat sold to
the poor working people as during
the last year.
Meantime. the war department to-
day had begun its efforts to sell some
25.O00.00O pounds of meat thru Her
bert Hoover's foreign relief commits
sion.
AssaiI Profitecrfng.
New York, May 13.-While a GER