The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-05-28


Association.
| Washington, D. G.
j NV Dear Mr.. Gerber: Your letter
of March ID to Major General Fl.
J. Rogers has been delivered to me
for reply. | am glad to be able to
relieve your mind on the subject of
any surplus canned vegetables to be
dumped on the market,
Acting along lines suggested by
you, cauned peas. corn squash, and
string beans be added 10 our ration
list. which has always contained
tomatoes. This will entirely dis
pose of our stock and eliminate sur
plus.
/ trust this letter will relieve your
mind and those of your associates
in the Gamers Association.
Yours very truly
A. M. DAVIS.
Colonel. Quartermaster Corps.
Director of Storage Colonel Davis
was called before the committee of
Congress investigating war expendi-
lures. and was asked to explain the
meaning of such letter. His test
money indicates that it was the
purpose of the War Department, in
order to avoid the danger OF dis
turbinfi industrial conditions. to
dispose of this enormous quantity
of vegetables so as to prevent them
from coming upon the food market
in this country, and in this connect
ion the following extract from his
testimony is interesting:
Mr.. Reavis-That is, you mean
that the American people would
have no opportunity of buying this
surplus?
Colonel Davis-That is the point
exactly.
Mr.. Reayes-And that was done
to protect the Gamers?
Colonel Davis--Yes. sir.
Think of such evidence, showing
that officials in Washington were
holding food and trying TO sell it in
Euxo.o ~, DrJar ~ Eooy, E~oy,o raI,,o
ing prices of food in the United
States. And that at time when
the people of this country were led
| to believe that the administration
was doing everything within its
power to reduce the high cost of
living.
During the summer and fall of
last year the supply of sugar in this
country was so short that sugar was
selling for 20 cents per pound and
the public was subjected to rations
even at that price, and yet the tes-
timony taken by the committee
shows that during the same period
the War Department sold % 900 900
pounds of sugar in France at 2 cents
per pound rather than hazard in
dustrial conditions by shipping it
home and placing it upon the mar
ket.
The testimony shows that when
the armistice was signed our govern
ment had in France foodstuffs.
clothing. textiles. automobiles and
other supplies of an approximate
value of $1,000. 900. 900, and that
the representative of this admins
tration cold that enormous quantity
of supplies to the French govern
ment for $4OO. 900. 900, or 20 per
cent of its real value, on long-term
payments. in order to avoid disturb
ing industrial conditions in this
country.
FOOD SPOILED TO KEEP UP PROFITS.
Not only has the administration
in power. and for which the Demo-
cratic party is responsible. kept mil
lions of dollars worth of foodstuffs
off the American market in order to
avoid disturbing industrial condi-
tions," but it has permitted large
quantities of this foodstuffs to spoil,
thereby depriving the. people Of its
use. / do not know to what extent
this waste has gone. but the eyi-
dence taken by the committee on
War Expenditures shows that 2. .0O0.-
n - l.