The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-10
FOOD STOCKS
Will Be SOLD
BY Government
Millions of Pounds of Army
Supplies to be Sold to Mu-
inequalities.
BY WILLIAM r. sANBoRN

The surplus foods held by the War
department are finally to be put on
the market, not however to all corners
but to municipalities" The city au-
thorities buying same must agree to
resell to the public at cost, in mar
kets established by the city, and the
sales must be handled by the city,
which for the time being becomes a
retailer for the benefit of the citizens.
The relief that this will bring to the
people in cities where the officials
take proper action will be but tenn
porary at best; but it will help. The
in cans were not prepared for family
trade, and Uncle Sam will take a net
loss on these of about 20 per cent,
simply because of that reason. There
is also a considerab BILE tonnage of
smoked and sailed meats, which must
be sold quickly to prevent deteriora-
ton. The meats include bacon in
cans and crates, roast beef in cans,
corn beef and corn beef hash; all
good and palatable and packed under
government contracts and supervision.
AS to canned vegeta bles, consisting
of tomatoes, stringless beans, peas,
corn and baked beans, the government
expects to get cost prices for these,
which should be quite saving to con-
sumers, as the inference Is that prices
paid were below the wholesale quota
lions. Cities making purchases will
be given credit until the goods are
sold, so that no municipal appropria-
ton or investment will be necessary;
the cost of selling will also be added
to the goods presumably, but that
need not be high, as buyers will quick
ly absorb supplies on cash and
carry basis.
Sells Salmon and Sugar.
The government has been a large
holder of canned salmon of various
grades and packers have feared the
effect of dumping this surplus on the
home market, even at cost to the
War department. 1t now appears that
large percentage Of this salmon has
already been released to wholesalers
for export, some of the Gamers also
taking over a share of the pack to be
marketed abroad 1t would never do,
of course, to cut in on the profits of
the autocrats of the west coast fisher
les for the benefit Of the man who has
a lot of hungry mouths to feed. regard
less of how many millions these fisher
folk have made on army contracts.
The beef barons are also cannery
barons, though they do not as yet con-
troll the fisheries and canning plants.
But they are on their way to do SO. IS
owners of a great deal of stock in
such concerns. The Chicago packers
who furnished the army canned meat
rations, bacon, etc, have been pro-
tected as broadly as possible in the
sale of this surplus, which, it will
be observed, is not to be offered to
the trade to interfere with retailers
demands and prices, but to the con-
sumner, mainly in the large cities,
where it is to be hoped the poorer
classes will be really benefited, in
so-far as the supply will permit.
In order to protect home consumers
the government will now put 100000
bags of sugar on the market, total
of 100000 pounds, with the proviso
that none is to be exported. This
seems like lot of sugar, but it is only
about 3 ounces per capita. or one
pound to every family of five persons.
Food Supply Problems
There is a Surplus Sales depart
ment in Washington, Of which c. w.
Hare is Director The subcommittee
of the special house committee has in
formed Mr.. Hare that it favors bring
ing all possible supplies which will
not sell for an adequate price abroad
back to this country, in order to allie
viate the situation AS to food.
The committee also favors the re-
turn of machinery and work animals
that can not be sold to advantage
across the sea Before this subcom
committee Mr.. Hare said:
If the better market is here, not In
price alone. the goods will be returned
home as the patriotic thing"
Mr.. Hare further stated that it was
not his policy to preserve high prices
for the benefit of manufacturers. but
to prevent unnecessary industrial dis
turbances and sacrifices that would
result from dumping all surplus goods
including foods, on the markets. AS
TO to the Gamers and packers, Di
rector Hare said:
We have told them that we don't
intend to save them, but to play the
game for the best of ALL
1t is more than interesting to note
that the surplus food stocks now to be
disposed of aggregate s150.000,O00 o
this great total $50, 100000 is in meats
and 100000, 900 in canned vegetables
as previously described There is also
an almost unlimited supply Of canned
salmon.
A Pertinent Question
The house committee on dispose
of surplus war food, has been anXiou.
to learn why this food has been helC
for so many months, when it wa!
known that it must finally come OF
the market. Director Hare stated
that 1t had been difficult to obtai1