The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-09
Wholesalers Cannot Ship Sup
plies Because of Strike.
Motor Truck Trains Avert Meat
Famine for Present.
HIGH PRICES BOUND TO COME
Chicago Can Wait Strike Set
tlement Two Weeks.
Other Centers, However, VIII
Be on Short Diet Soon.

Chicago. April s.-Food rationing in
the middle west may be necessary IL
a strike of OUTLAW railroad unions
continues two weeks more, wholesale
grocers here said. Rationing of sugar
is certain il the strike isn't called off
before Monday.
With practically every wholesale
grocery house in Chicago cut off from
its supply of flour. sugar and other
table staples, steps looking toward
conservation were being taken by
wholesalers who expect to begin cut
ting down on orders to local retailers
next week.
According to a survey OF whole
salers. Chicago has a three-day supply
of sugar.
The flour supply is expected to last
two weeks.
The canned goods supply is suffi-
cient for a month. Enough coffee is
on hand to give Chicago it's morning
cup for at least ten days.
| Chicago We'll Fixed.
Chicago is better situated than other
cities. grocers said.
There is really no immediate dam
ger of Chicago starving" said A. J.
Sprague of Sprague, Warner & Com
pany. THE situation is serious, OF
course. We are not receiving anything
from outside and we are shipping out
very little.
1T is the country which will be hit
hardest The supply which we keep
on hand here for the country can be
utilized by Chicago and postpone any
famine"
Practically no shipments of food
were being made to outside points,
wholesalers agreed.
VERY little is coming to u.s." was
| said by Franklin MacVeagh & Com
pany. I'VE are unable to send out
anything. Some railroads are taking
some merchandise. but we don't know
what they are doing with it."
Should the strike continue. II will
| undoubtedly mean renewal of ration
| ing of sugar. said A. J. Spragpe, who
recently was federal fair price COM
missioner here.
No Meat Famine.
There is no immediate danger of n
meat famine. packers said today.
Officials at Armour's. Swifts and
Morris's said reserve supply on hand
will be sufficient to ward off meatless
days for at least two weeks They re-
ported killing plants idle and $4,000
men idle in the packing houses.
Chicago and vicinity was supplied
with meat today by n fleet of motor
trucks and lake steamers. Lake boats
/ furnished Waukegan, ILL.,. with meat
today. Refrigerator cars were idle,
In other sections of the country,
branch houses supplied customers by
use of motor trucks.
Reports from Detroit and other in
dustrlal centers reported today shut
ting down of plants owing to lack OF
fuel.
VIII Hike Prices.
Washington. April 9.-The strike is
almost certain to increase prices thru
out the country. economic experts
agreed here today.
Interference with transportation
nearly always increases prices" said
DIR. Royal Meeker. head of the statis-
tics bureau of the labor departm e7t
Il don't know exactly what effect this
strike will have because / have not
studied 1t carefully"
Prices of perishable foods already
are soaring in Chicago and other cities
affected, reports received here today
showed.
| The strike probably will affect
more people directly than walkout
of any other class of workers." said
| Statistician Cunningham of the con-
Citation bureau. labor department
| The effect Of a transportation strike
is speedy and direct II continued for
any length of time, a transportation
strike is likely to close factories and
cause a fuel famine"