The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-12
DAVIS ADMITS U. s. HAD PACT
 WITH BANNERS
$100,OOO Surplus to Be Kept on Market Until Former
 Crop Was Packed.
FEARED THERE WOULD
 BE ACREAGE LOSS
Thought Farmers Wouldn't Plant If Vegetable Prices
 Dropped.

General Staff was waiting from May until November, with the army rap- idly demobilizing, to determine the surplus of feodstuffs, some of the meals deteriorated, Colonel A. M Da- wis, chief of the supply section of the quartermaster's department, told the House investigating Committed
 Colonel Davis also confirmed pre- vious testimony to the effect taht there was an understanding between the War Department and the can- ners of vegetables that the> $100,000,- 900 surplus of canned goods was to be held off the market until the 1918 pack was disposed of. He earnestly defended this policy as in the inter ests of stability of business and ul- timately lowered the cost of living, as, he said, had such an agreeent not been made the farmers would not have planted truck this season, with loss to themselves and scarcity and high prices to consumers.
 Export Sales Preferred.
 Another policy that Colonel Davis adLlitted was followed in large mea- sure was to sell goods Tor export whenever possible in preference to accepting lower prices at home. He favored selling A. F. F. goods abroad on the ground that since in one form or another the United States must supply Europe it is economical to sell whatever happens to be there al- ready. instead of sbringing it back to the United States and sending other goods 10 Enrope.
 There was no good reason that you know of, was there?" asked Chair man feavis of the sub-com mittee on the quarterma ster's department why all this meat was held from November until May?"
 "None except that the armistfce was not peace, and the General Staff had to be prepared for eXisencies.' ,
 But did not demobilization begin Immediately after the arnlistice, and has il not continued at a rapid rate?'
 "Yes, that is SOL conceded Colonel Davis.
 Admits Meat Dcteriorated.
 ;Do you know that in the mean time some of the meat was deteriorat- ing?'
 'rTes to a certain extent.'
 "Do you not think 1t was possible to plan ahead and dispose of some ol the surplus before it began to spoil? 9
 Tt looks now" admitted the col onel, "as if those things might have been anticipated. HindsiGht is better than foresight. General KnisEern stationed at Chicago, had the entire authority to declare a surplus or meats and I must say that he is g very capable officer. None but he hat any authority He undoubtedly uset his best Judgment"
 Colonel Davis said he was in nc way responsible for the disposition O A. D. F. stores, but he knew tha large quantities of foodstuffs had beer sold from them to the Hoover Re lief Commission. He knew nothing about a reported sale of 3,0OO,00C pairs of the A. E r. shoes abroad { but 265, 5,000 pairs of reclaimed | army shoes had been sold in Bel | gium.
 | Injustice to Public Tinted. Representative McGregor, of Buff falo. endeavored to make Colone | Davis concede that the policy in re ! spect to canned vegetables was t ! give the canners the power to mak ! the public pay more for canned 1 goods than 1t would pay if the s100, { GOO, 900 surplus had been put on tn market.
 Your object was to prevent price from falling, was 1t not?" asked Mo | Gregor.
 ''Yes-and to prevent a general de | mobilization of the business and falling off in this years planting veg | etables. The arguments of the pack
 CTS seemed sound to me. Their judg 1 ment is mine. I stand squarely oI the conclusion
 Further inquiry brought out tn 1 fact that while C. W. Hare, directo
 of sales, yesterday had stated the sur | plus of canned goods to be S100,000.
 900, the surplus so far formally de
 cIared is only s1O 100000. the balanc
 still awaiting declaration that wi
 put it on the market. The canner were not anxious to buy back tn
 goods, Colonel Davis said. The present meat surplus is as fo lows: Bacon. 75.0o0.0O0 pounds; han
 5sO. 900; canned roast beef, 3s,00O 900 pounds; corned beef hash, 20
 OOO, 900 pounds; total cost price abot
 s5o.ooO,Ooo. These figures refer onl
 to surplusses on this side of the A 1 lantic.
 The meats are now offered to nun
 cipalities at so per cent. of the co: ] and the canned vegetables at cost.
 far, only two cities, Baltimore an , Washington, have purchased any.