Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-10-09
Bull WARK AGAINST
WINTER SHORTAGE
Some Facts About Cold Storage
and the Charges Of ManipuIa-
ton and Exorbltant Prices.

Once again the subject of cold stOr-
age has come into the lImclight of pub
| lie attention; and this time in cOnnec-
ton with the nationwide search after
the cause for the high cost of living
| There can be no argument in behalf
Of boarding and holding back food sup
| plies for speculative profits. But this
| is matter quite apart from the true
| and legitimate purpose of. cold stor-
| age; and, unfortunately, because of
the much agitation and damaging pub
| licity that have centered about the
subject from time to time, the real
service performing function OF cold
storage has been largely obscured.
Laying In Winter Stocks.
City-wise people, and even country
wise people, have long since forgotten,
amidst the conyenienceS of modern
| life, that there WAS time in the his
tory of our country when 'laying in a
winters stock deyolyed upon each
household individually. Today, one
does not even need TO remember that
eggs are Ut an all.yeararousd prod
uct; that lGtter is produced in sCant
amount in The winter, and cheese like
wise. Not few would be completely
surprised to know that even meat pro-
duction has its seasons of scarcity.
The buyer for the household in these
days simply goes 10 the store, any day
in the year, expecting TO find these
and similar commodities on the mar
ket.
Are Storages OyerstockeS?
However, we are told that storage
stocks of certain commodities are at
the present above the normal as COM
pared with this time last year. 1t has
been computed that the combined ex-
cess of number of important foods
In cold and dry storage amount to 10
per cent. While on the face of it this
looks like undue boarding Of reserves,
yet it must be remembered that COM
PARSONS with last year are altogether
misleading. Demands for a great
number of commodities have increased
tremendously. Our exports for June
were double what they were a year
ago, and 10 per cent of these exports
were foodstufs.
Moreover, our reserves last year
were inadequate. Those who recall
some of the extraordinary prices Of
certain foods last winter aud spring
know precisely what it means to have
too small holdings in storage. That
we are better prepared for next winter
than We were for last should not be
used as the basis of Il wholesale con-
demnation of our methods of providing
for our future wants.
How Prices Are Determined.
Cold storage has been criticised Sc
verely as an instrumentality that lends
Itself easily to the taking of unfair
profits. Without question its ability
TO extort has been grossly eXaggerat-
ed. Storage warehouses are scattered
throughout all portions of the United
States and their contents are owned
by thousands Of competing firms and
individuals. About half the storage
space in the country consists OF public
warehouses that rent space To who
ever wants It,. either for small lots or
big ones. Tabuluted figures Of the
amounts in storage are gathered and
disseminated by thc government
monthly; and the amounts in holding
from month to month figured against
what should normally be in storage
during those months Tor the estimated
demaudD form the basis Tor prices.
Some Figures on Profits.
But the best information as to
profits in the cold storage business
consists of actual figures, and such
are published regularly 10y the federal
Department Of Agriculture. These
show, for instance, that in the season
Of 10l5.l9l6 butter stored in June and
July ut an average of @6.64 cents Il
pound, sold from November to March
at an average of 27.45 cents Il pound,
giving u gross profit of 0S1 cents a
Pouhu, VI sCuINels tutu-l W pay lOE
storage and nothing for net profit or
interest on investment. ln l9l6-l9l7
the gross profit was TO cents
pound, and in l9lT-l9lS it was 5.S6
cents. These gross amounts must
cover storage charges and interest on
the money tied up for several months
before the net profits are arrived at.
1t Is apparent from these figures that
storing of foods is an uphill and down
hill business with its fat aud lean
years, and affords an average profit
which Is not excessive in view OF the
risks that are run. Figures on storage
eggs for 19l5-19lG show II net loss of
% cents dozen; for 19l6-1917, an
unusually prosperous year, the net
profits were 5.5i cents dozen; and
for 1917-191S there was a net loss of
1.42 cents dozen.
Extravagant charges of manipula-
tion and control of prices are prepos-
terously absurd In view of these sea-
sons Of losses. The ups and down OF
profits simply indicate the hazards of
the game; for the best laid plans of
men can not foresee when warm
spell may come which will start the
hens to laying, nor, on the other hand.
cold snap thas will shut OF current
production entirely. Year in and year
out aS thpA ures yyOuI1 Indicate tho