Milford chronicle., 1919-06-20
FARMERS INSIST ON
PAY FOR TOMATOES
HAVE NOT YET BEEN SETTLED WITH
In FULL, AND ARE GETTING TIRED
OF PAYING INTEREST.
TO DEMAND SETTLEMENT
OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
F0RCIBLY CALLS ATTENTION TO
THE MATTER.

Many thousands of dollars are due
citizens of Delaware for tomatoes sold
the War Department last year. 1t
seems to be impossible for them at
present to collect for these supplies
and no satisfaction, or even explana-
ton, can be obtained from any respon-
sible official. Representative Caleb r.
Layton has forcibly called the atten-
ton of his colleagues in Congress to
this mater and has insisted that an
accounting be made at the earliest
possible moment.
The Delaware Representative de-
clared that Delaware has done her
duty faithfully, fearlessly and Loyalty
during the war. He was asked if
any assertion had been made to the
effect that the Gamers had not met the
specifications laid down by the sub
sistence bureau of the War Depart
ment. His reply was that Delaware
grows the best tomatoes in the world
and that it was admitted by the Federal
government purchasing agents that
they were canned to meet the direc-
tions of the department.
There is no objection made by any
official of the department as to any
failure of the growers or Gamers to
meet the standard" said Representa-
tive Layton. "The fact that the to-
matoes were contracted for and then
consumed literally by tons both in
France and in the camps at home
should be sufficient evidence of the
accuracy of my claim. There must be
some other reason for the failure of
the department to let my faithful con-
stituents have their well earned
money.
THE failure of the department to
promptly meet its bills works great
hardship on the packers and Gamers.
Their capital is tied up and in order
to obtain more money with which to
run their industries they must go to
the banks and pay 6 per cent interest.
This, in effect, that they are losing 6
cents on every dollars worth of goods
they have supplied the government for
every year of delay in receiving pay
ment"
DR.. Layton said he had no reliable
data as to the amount of Delaware
capital that was thus tied up in de-
partmental red tape, but that it was
very considerable is shown by the
d
tlement of their claims.
Some of the representatives of the
Gamers have been in Washington
month or more trying to effect a set
tlement. Every day they are informed,
according one of their number, that
they will receive attention tomorrow" ="
But that promised tomorrow has not
yet come and the representatives are
growing weary. They tell the officials
that they need the money to finance
the current years operations.
"The six per cent interest which it
is necessary for us to pay to obtain
substitute capital for that which is
held by the War Department is about
all the profit we made on the supplies
we sold the government" said the
agent of one of the largest Gamers in
the State. I'VE have tried and tried
again and again to obtain a settlement
but it seems useless"
One concern whose claim runs into
five figures offered a three per cent
discount for a speedy settlement This,
however, was apparently not sufficient
ly alluring. The agent was courteous
ly but firmly informed that the War
Department didn't want to shave" any
bills and he would have to await his
turn.
DR.. Layton is expected to bring the
matter up in Congress again this week
and Senator Wolcott probably will
speak on it from the floor of the Sen
ate