The Washington times., 1921-10-17

| vi WITHf66D. FOOD
Rsssrvs Here Will Last Three
Weeks In Event Of Strike,
0rooers Say.
4 The food supply In Washington,
I'm event of nationwide ran
strikp cutting off outside supplies,
ID sufficient to last three weeks, a
lsurvey made today by The Times
ishows.
Canvass Of washington's prod
luce and wholesale groceries indi-
Ecate that the most serious short
age will be In fresh meats and
,perishsbles.
Sec No Need for Fear.
While local dealers all estimate the
supply Of staple goods. such as sugar,
coffee, flour. etc. at from two to three
weeks. there is some difference OF
opinion as to the supply of fancy
tsoods, such as canned peas. corn. to-
}matoes. etc. Estimates of supplies on
hand OF these goods range from one
month to six weeks.
The supply of fresh meats, however,
will not last more than ten days. while
tthere Is sufficient storage meats. such
las smoked bacon. hams, ETC., to last
Flor thirty days, supply men estimate.
y while the strike would incon-
(venience Washington. there is no ne
4 cessity for fear that anybody will suf-
fer for the actual necessities OF lie,
said John II. Wilkins, president of
w nkins q Co., Inc, wholesale gro
.ceries. in commenting on the local
situation.
THE worst effect of the strike will
be that II will SO disorganize condi-
tions that even though II should last
tor only five, six. or ten days, II will
take two or three weeks to get food
commodities and supplies moving
smoothly again.
MY personal opinion is that there
Is sufficient food in the staple goods
line, under normal conditions, to last
ten days or two weeks" Mr.: wilkins
said. "Of the fancy goods there are
four weeks.
Thinks Plan Will Fail.
Should the strike last as long as
two weeks, 1t would be another week
or ten days before we could replenish
our depleted stocks. The situation,
however, In event of a strike, will be
so serious that we anticipate suffi-
cient pressure will be brought to bear
to avert it," declared Mr.. Wilkins.
The most serious danger Of the
strike, or even the expectation OF a
strike, the supply men point out. is
the probability that everybody win inn
mediately lay in q much larger sup
ply of groceries than Is necessary.
%. Housewives have no business OF
buying heavily, or more than their
normal supply Of foodstuffs," declares
John C. Let's. head Of Sanitary Gro
Gerry Company.
should suddenly become panic stricken
< and buy say only twice as much
(foodstuffs as she needs there will
mot be sufficient supplies in the
houses of jobbers and wholesalers to
inject the demand" Mr.. Let's said.
Points Out Dangers.
This practice of buying more than
will be needed, in anticipation Of the
4 strike" Mr.. Let's predicted, "is un-
necessary and will only tend to en-
hance the seriousness of the sit
uation.
"It is sure to result in a food
; shortage, will cause prices to ad-
vance and will cause suffering and
hardship on those less able to lay
In a large supply of foodstuffs."
The same warning against over
buying Is made by w. G. Carter,
president of Golden & Co., commits.
Sion merchants.
There will be no trouble in Wash.
ington provided people do not buy
more than they need under normal
conditions" Mr.. Carter said. Sur
vey of the local food situation, made
by one Of the officials Of Old Dutch
Market, Inc, was as follows:
1.-The most serious shortage will, OF
course, be In perishable goods, such as
tomatoes, lettuce, etc. All such
perishables must be sold within
seventy-two hours. Approximately
half Of these perishables come by
freight, the balance by truck.
Staple Goods Abundant.
There is sufficient staple goods to
last three weeks, and probably enough
fancy goods to last two months. We
believe there should be no stampede in
buying staple or fancy goods in antici-
patton Of the strike for 1t would de-
piete the local stocks and cause hard
ships to those unable to buy heavily"
stocks Of Piggly-Wiggly, officials Of
that company state. under normal buy
ing conditions, are sufficient to last
for three weeks. or fancy goods,
probably there is sufficient stock on
hand TO last sixty days,
While optimism was expressed as to
the food supply In Washington In con-
NrkIf -
was given the coal situation,
Hurried survey OF the local coal
dealers supplies on hand, according
10 ]. r. Zimmerman, secretary OF the
local Coal Dealers Association, shows
sufficieut coal to last not more than
one month.
Enough for Month.