The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-07-26
SURPLUS FOOD SUPPLIES
HELD BY j. S. GOVERNMENT
Gamers Fear Their Business Will Be Dsorganized Il Federal
Hoardngs Are Thrown on Market-People
Clamor Over High Prices

consistent with the purpose of can.
nlng, 1. e., the preservation of the
ioods IN season of plenty for consumn.
ZION IN time Of scant or no produe.
tion' and when properly warehoused
the foods under consideration will
keep indefinitely in perfect condition y
In reply to Mr.. Gerber's statemen+
0ol. A. M. Davis, by direction of Cen
rogers, addressed a letter to Presi.
dent Gerber, which, the Bulletin adds
dlsnoses of the subject for all time y
Col. Davis said:
IL am glad to be able to relievs
your mind on the subject of any sur.
plus OF canned vegetables to bs
dumped on the market.
Acting along lines suggested bv
you, canned peas, corn, SQUASH and
string beans will be added to the "a
ton list, which has always contained
canned tomatoes. This will entirely
dispose OF our stock and eliminate sur
plus.
81 trust this will relieve YOUR mind
and those of your associates in the
Gamers association
Much Meat on Hand.
At the time the inventory of canned
vegetables was made for the surplus
classification, the government had on
hand in this country, in addition to
fresh and refrigerated meats, and
classed as surplus, more than 100000.
200 pounds of other meats, listed as
follows:
Kind. pou,d,
Corned beef 1882 ass
Roast beef 81, 4O1, $50
nash .......... IL, 1877 ,63S
Besides the above, 1900, 900 pounds
of bacon were turned over to the Serb
ian government, and 100000 pounds
were transferred to Herbert E. Hoover
for the Belgian relief work.
Two Years Packing Output.
The inventory is only partially com.
plete, at that, as some stations were
unable to make complete list in the
time specified and many did not in
clude the articles coming in as Gun
delivered materials on contracts.
But sufficient figures are available
to indicate the enormous meat supplies
on hand, estimated by some as equal
to two full years. output of the pack
ing plants under normal conditions.
1t is this meat surplus that is caus-
ing great deal of hard thinking on
the part of the government officials
with respect to the proposal from
some quarters that it be dumped on
the market, regardless of what hap
pens to Chicago's packing town folk.
The packers went to Washington re-
Gently and urged the war department
to withhold the entire meat supply
on hand from the commercial trade
here at home, urging that it should be
utilized, If at all at this time, in the
export trade.
At first it was announced that such
an agreement had been tentatively
reached and the government owned
meats probably would not be permit
ted to enter into competition with the
packers business this year. Since then
there have been renewed opportunities
that the high prices of meats be
smashed by dumping the government
owned meats on the, open market
One plan suggested was that the
government turn its country postof-
fices into grocery stores and dispose
of the canned meats and bacon direct
to. the rural populations through these
agencies.
These are only two of the food sta.
ples-vegetables and meats-that have
put the high officials at Washington
between the devil and the deep sea-
the cry for cheaper foods and the ur-
gent demand that until the industrial
situation settles down a bit the gov
eminent should not break the prices
by turning the stuff back to the COM
merciala trade, lest it demoralize for
time the whole industry, principally
the packing business, and thereby re-
suit in laying off thousands of work
men.
The strenuous efforts to meet the
unrest as far as possible by getting
everybody a job pulls at one hand, and
the cry Of the people for q govern
ment sledge hammer landed squarely
on the top of the head of old High
Cost of Living tugs at the other side.
There. may be something to be said
on both sides. .."-.~ 49,,
Il Meantime the rate for hotel rooms
goes UP, ice cream cones are selling
for and 7 cents, instead of luxury
tax, while soda with thimble full
of ice cream hits II cents. The theaters
and the baseball parks have loaded
the war tax on the ultimate CONSUMER
and measely. little sack of roast pea
nuts in Lincoln park costs 10 cents;
Likewise a tender little package OF
popcorn, 10 cents. o:ss-.7 o.: 30