The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-23
ARMY WOULD SELL
FOOD SURPLUS HERE
Director Of Sales Hare Says
I Efforts Are Meeting
Little Success.
EXPORT THE LAST RESORT
Representative Fitzgerald in
House Demands S2.26 Be
Maximum Wheat Price.
Special DespdtcA to The sur.

WASHINGTON, May 22.-Surplus
ttocks OF food which the early ending
pf the war left on the hands Of the
War Department will not be sold for
fxport until every effort shall first
bave been made to market them in
this country for the benefit OF the
consumer.
This assurance was given THE SUN
correspondent to-day by w. c. Hare,
assistant director OF munitions and
director OF sales of the munitions
bureau, Mr.. Hare declared with en-
phasis that this has been the intention
bf the War Department from the first
tnd that the general belief to the con-
trary has been based on a complete
misapprehension OF the Departments
problem.
Mr.. Hare's assurance applies
EQUALLY to the 100000 pounds OF
canned meats which already have been
declared surplus and to the still un-
petermined surplus of canned fruits
hud vegetables.
so far as all surplus food supplies
are concerned" Mr.. Hare said, "every
effort will be made to sell in this coun-
try before exporting pound or a can
But even If the Department Is sue
eessful in its effort to sell in this coun-
try the surplus Is so great that doubt
Jess there will remain a large amount
10 be sold abroad.
Reduced Prices offered.
"For weeks the Department has sought
purchasers Of its surplus supply O,
canned meats in this country We hav,
onered these meats at greatly reduced
prices to wholesale grocers' associations
farmers cooperative associations, retail
ers. municipal purchasing institutions
charitable institutions large wholesale
srocery concerns. and to big packers
The only interest which has been showI
in these offers to date comes from Ger
tain big grocery concerns, which hav,
stated in few instances that they Nigh
purchase part OF the stock for export
providing the prices are low enough.
we are now circularizing the coun
try Institutions, commercial houses an,
cooperative societies, offering this stool
for sale.
ut must be understood that with tn,
exception Of the corned beef and corne,
beef hash, none of the meats is a com
rnercial product and including tn
corned beef and corned beef hash n,
part OF the stock could be offered o,
the market without more or less ex
pensive processes of repacking, label
ling, &C
Army grub even in peace time, 4
not calculated to attract the epicure o
the fastidious The canned beef and tn
bacon involved in this surplus stock
while excellent fare for a field army
not considered attractive enough for tn
army on a peace basis. 1t Is easy (
understand why dealers. knowing tn
tastes OF their customers are not inter
ested in purchasing these stocks. VIVA
man Will eat when in the trenches o
in the woods, and what he will orde
from his butcher and grocer are liabl
TO be two entirely different things,
Il should like to send to the house
wives who are being quoted as protest
ing against the export of these product
couple of slabs of the salty army ba
con and q few cans OF bully beef an
let them try to feed them TO the tire
business man when he comes home a
night.
I'VE still hope to find a market 10
some of IT, but while seeking that mar
kst we also are looking toward an alter
native. The conditions in the devastate
portions OF Europe and among the starv
ing nations, where real misery and hur
ger such as this country has never now
do exist, seem to offer a market w
have wired Mr.. Hoover asking him
ne will be in the market for these stock
in case they become available for ex
port We have not heard from him"
Tho meat stocks already declared sur
plus include approximately S7,500,oO
pounds of beef in roughly painted, UT
labelled cans OF six pounds, IL ounce
each; 36.35o.o00 pounds OF corned bee
similarly packed; 2o,s60.0oo pounds @
corned beef hash in one pound and tw
pound cans. and 47,21s,0oo pounds G
bacon cured especially salt to meet tn
exigencies OF field transportation an
storage.