The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1920-08-12
A LITTLE LIGHT ON THE HIGH
COST OF LIVING

Editor The Muscular: Some time
ago Mr. Edmond Koeln, collector OF
internal revenue for the city of st
Louis, Mo, wrote to Representative
Cleveland A. Newton, requesting in
formation regarding reports Of extrav-
agance Of expenditures by the war de-
partmeht. The answer of Mr.. New
ron not only covered many items bear
! ing on the question asked, but answer
! in part anxious query of people
0verburdened with high cost of liv-
ing" whether the party responsible
for the present administration intends
any immediate relief from an intoler-
able situation.
The high cost of leather goods is
partly explained by the fact that
! though the war department had only
391 900 horses and mules. yet there
We're ordered for use upon them 945.0O0
saddles and over 100000 sets of dou-
! ble harness Purchase was made of
/ I, 637 1877 horse brushes, 2.029.41S nose
feed bags. 1,14S.364 horse covers and
/ $50. S53 halters, enough for more
| than 100000 horses at one time, all
to be used upon 391 900 animals Yet
| the officials knew the 100.000000 peo-
pie in civil life needed leather for
shoes as we'll as many other purposes
The testimony taken by the congress
sional committee shows that prior TO
the signing Of the armisticc, we had
sufficient motor vehicles in France
for ambulance service. transportation
of munitions and for other purposes,
sufficient TO win the war; that under
the terms of the armistice we received
n large quantity of motor vehicles
from Germany. However. the records
Of the war department show that be
tween the signing Of the armistice on
November II. 1913. and June 5, 1919
the war department. representing this
administration. when hundreds of
thousands Of soldiers were being
brought home, transported to France
39,993 new automobiles and after they
had been delivered upon French soil,
the representatives of this government
sold such automobiles to the French
government for 20 per cent of the cost
price, and allowed that government 10
Years IN which to make payment for
them
The testimony taken by the investi-
eating committee shows that prior to
the signing Of the armistice the war
for an army of five million men Fur
Their, that as matter of fact ii had
Communicated 40 per cent of all the
foodstuffs in the United States This
fact alone leaving only 60 per cent. for
one hundred million civilians would
enormously advance prices everywhere
How did the government meet the sit
uation?
Within six months after the signing
Of the arInistice. more than 100000
men had been demohilized and re
turned TO civil life Yet the depart
ment still retained and refused TO re
lease upon the markets for the use of
the people of this country the enor-
mouse quantity of foodstuffs it still
held.
The testimony shows that when the
armistice was signed the war depart-
ment had 200,00000O cans Of vegetables
such as peas. Squash corn. tomatoes
pumpkins, etc. 1T was urged by the
war department that it was not prac-
| ticahle TO put these vegetables on the
market because 1t was said tlw army
cans We're larger than those to which
thu public were accustomed. the army
cans weighing ? to 5 pounds each.
A republican congress passed reso-
| 'utions calling attention to this enor-
nous supply Of vegetables and urged
that they he placed upon the market
Pursuant TO these regulations, a very
small portion was finally offered for
sale. SO eager were the people to
buy 1t, they nearly tore the doors from
the hinges at the storehouses.
The National Gamers association
became much disturbed lest this great
quantity of vegetables he dumped unon
tha market. and the president of the
| association. Frank Gerber. wrote a let
tor to General III. 7. Rogers, protesting.
This letter was referred to Colonel A
NJ. Davis, director storage quartermas-
ter corps of the war department, who
wrote in reply:
War department.
Purchase. Storage and Traffic Di-
vision, Office Of the Director of Pur-
chase and Storage
/ Washington. n. c., March II, 1920
i Mr.. Frank Gerber.
President, National Gamers Asso-
citation. Washington, ID. G.
NV Dear Mr.. Gerber:
Your letter cf March Is. to Major
4 General H.. j. Rogers has been deliv-
cred 10 me for reply | am glad to
be able to relieve your mind ON the
subject Of any surplus canned vcge-
tables to be dumped on the market.
Acting along lines suggested by YOU
canned peas. corn. squash and string
beans will be added to the ration LIST
which has always contained tomatoes.
This will entirely dispose of our stock
To- nd nlfx 10