The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-07-25
WAR DEPARTMENT
CHARGED WITH
HOLDING UP FOOD
$12O,0OO,OOO Surplus Stock of
Foodstuffs on Hand
IAN INEXCUsABLE DELAY"
Committee Recommend Immediate
Sale of Surplus-Do Not Approve
of Sales to Municipalities

washington, July 24.-lmmediate
sale of the s12OOOO.OOO surplus stock
of foodstuffs held by the war depart
ment, under plan which will insure
opportunity for the people of the
United States, was approved today by
ten Republican members of the
House war expenditures investig-
alton committee. The FIVE Democrat
members withheld decision pending a
review of evidence taken by a sub
committee
THE inactivity Of the government
in the disposition of these food sup
plies was, and is the result of well
defined policy of the secretary of war
to withhold them from the domestic
market and to protect the interests
from which these products have been
purchased" said the subcommittee
report drafted by Representative Rea
Wis, Nebraska and MacGregor, New
York Republicans.
Chairman Graham Of the full com
mittee. was instructed TO ask for a
special rule on resolution calling
upon the war department to sell the
goods. Efforts will be made to bring
the resolution before the House next
Monday, Graham announced.
The report criticised what it de-
clared the departments non,activities
in the sale of very large quantities
of food supplies now held in storage
and asserted that six months elapsed
before any surplus stock was de.
clared while in the meantime the
food was deteriorating and becoming
of less value and the high cost OF liv.
ing continued"
The report also expressed "the sub
committees disfavor of a policy Of
export" and recommended that
plans be devised by the secretary sof
war, through the war department for
the early disposition of all surplus
food production on the domestic mar
ket."
The report estimated that on July
8, last, the value of surplus food
stored in the United States over and
above the needs of the army was:
Corn beef, 24,O000O0; bacon, $2S.
100000; hash corn beef. $4,000 900:
roast beef, $20,500,000; fresh frozen
meats and poultry. $20000,000; can.
ned vegetables, S23OOO,OOO.
''Inexcusable delay" the report de-
clared, resulted in the spelling of
millions of pounds of hams and ba-
con, is being asserted that "notwith-
standing the authorization of sur
plus by the chief of staff on Novem-
Der 30, 1918, no action was taken with
reference to declaring a surplus until
May, 1919, six months after the dec.
laration was authorized"
Sales Of army foodstuffs in the
United States aggregate $4,000 ,0000.
said the report. adding that a very
large quantity Of that sold was spoil
ed and unfit for the general market
otherwise it would not have been
placed on sale"
Attack on present plans for the
sale of the surplus stocks also was
contained in the report, which out
lined the plan as providing for sale
only to municipalities, which would
have ten days to make payment to
the government, and bear the trans
portation cost from the nearest army
warehouse.
This plan adopted by the govern
ment,' declared the report, will not
result in the sale of these products
to any great extent, for the reason
that municipalities under their char
ters have no legal authority to pur-
chase food products for sale Many
municipalities which have indicated
desire to purchase this food for the
benefit of their citizens. have been
met with the threat of Injunction on
the part of the local dealers. which
threat has been sufficient to prevent
a purchase of the goods