New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1919-10-18
BuLWARk AGAINST
WINTER SHORTAGE
Some Facts About Cold Storage
and the Charges Of Manipula-
ton and Exorbitant Prices.

ton and Exorbitant Prices.
Once again the subject Of cold stor
age has come into the limelight OF pub
lie attention; and this time In connec
tion with the nation wide search afte1
the cause for the high cost Of living
There can be no argument in behalf
Of boarding and holding back food sup
plies for speculative profits. But this
is q matter quite apart from the true
and legitimate purpose Of cold stor'
age: and, unfortunately, because OF
the much agitation and damaging pub
licity that have centered about the
subject from time to time, the real
service performing function OF cold
storage has been largely obscured.
Laying IN Winter Stocks.
City-wise people, and even country
wise people, have long since forgotten,
amidst the conveniences Of modern
life, that there was time in the his
tory Of our country when "laying In
winters stock devolved upon each
household individually. Today, one
does not even need to remember that
eggs are not an all-year-around prod
uct; that butter Is produced in scant
amount In the winter, and cheese like
wise. Not few would be completely
surprised to know that even meat pro-
ductiOn has its seasons OF scarcity
The buyer for the household In these
days simply goes to the store, any day
IN the year, expecting to ind these
end similar commodities on the mar
ket.
Are storaoss ovsrsteeksdf
However, we are told that storage
stocks Of certain commodities are AT
the present above the normal as com.
pared with this time last year. It has
been computed that the combined ex.
cess Of number Of important foods
in cold and dry storage amount to IL
per cent. While on the face Of 1t this
looks like undue boarding Of reserves.
yet 1t must be remembered that com.
PARSONS with last year are altogether
misleading. Demands for . great
number Of commodities have increased
tremendously. Our exports for June
were double what they were Z year
ago, and 40 per cent Of these exports
were foodstuifs.
Moreover, our reserves last year
were inadequate. Those who recall
some of the extraordinary prices Of
certain foods last winter and spring
know precisely what It means to have
too small holdings in storage. That
We are better prepared for next winter
than We were for last should not be
used a. the basis Of Z wholesale con-
domination Of our methods Of providing
for our future wants.
How Priese Ar Determined.
Cold storage has been criticised %
veroly a. m instrumsntality that lends
ITSELF easily to the taking Of unfair
profits. Without q question IT. ability
to extort has been grossly exaggerat
cd. Storage warehouses are scattered
throushout all portions Of the United
States and their contents are owned
By thousands Of competing firms and
individuals. About half the storage
space Ia the country consists Of public
warehouses that rent space to who
ever wants It, either for small lots o.
big ones. Tabulated figures Of the
amounts In storage are gathered and
disseminated By the government
monthly; and the amounts In holding
from month to month figured against
what should normally. b In storage
during those months Cor the estimated
dsmand) form the basis for prices
seme Figures en Prents
But tho best information % Il
profits Il the cold storage business
consists Of actual figures. and such
efe published regularly By the federal
department of Agriculture. These
aAow, for instance. that IN the season
8 1016-1010 butter stored IN June and
July at an average Of 1894 cents
pound. sold from November to March
& a. average Of N.l6 cents Z pound
diving = gross profit Of O.S1 cents .
pound. or scarcely enough to pay FOL
storage and nothing for net profit o.
Interest on Investment. In 1016-1017
tie gross profit was ITO cents Q