The New York herald., 1921-10-18
NO FEAR OF FAMINE
IN CITY BY STRIKE
Food Supplies Abundant for
the Metropolitan District.
Storage Figures Show.
COAL FOR A MONTH in
Motor Trucks and Steam
ships Could Keep Up
Flow of Necessaries.
DON'T SCRAMBLE TO BUY
Officials Advise Against Food
Hoarding but Urge All to
Fill Coal Bins.
COAL FOR A MONTH in
DON'T SCRAMBLE TO BUY

So far as coal. meat, milk and other
foods and necessaries go, what would
be the effect upon the metropolitan
district OF 100000 persons? An in
vestigation made by THE New York
HERALD yesterday among Federal,
state and city officials having to do
with food and fuel matters, and among
informed representatives of the vari-
Gus industries concerned, suggests the
following conclusions:
A food and coal famine is unthink-
able in the present era of motor trucks
and because OF othor considerations
which did not apply TO the great
strikes of decade or moro ago. OF
the score or more officials and trades
men interviewed, not one expressed
alarm over possibility of famine. All
agreed that there might be embarrass-
ment and inconvenience. no actual
pinching deprivation.
All joined in the opinion that If the
contemplated strike eventuates into a
complete tieup Of the railroads that
ways and means could be found to
warm and feed even the immense
population OF this district There
might have to be food and fuel con-
troll, but II so it would be instituted to
prevent profiteering at the expense of
the poor. There waS general agree
ment that consumers would have TO
accustom themselves TO do without
certain luxuries-California fruits and
vegetables. choice meats. milk (the
milk supply being reserved for the
babies and the sick)-but that there
would be enough for all.
Months supply OF Coal.
Tho situation may be presented most
clearly by summarizing probable condi-
tions and reserves In the special fields of
necessaries thus:
Coal---There is enough hard coal on
hand in the yards OF New York and In
the great dumps of the Jersey tidewater
terminals TO last the city for Il month,
even if no more should come In from
now on. Michael Burns of Burns Bros.
states this emphatically and is joined
by officers of the Coaf Merchants Asso-
clation. Their advice to consumers
and herein they are supported by the
Health Commissioner--is to buy now, to
ill all cellars and bins. so as to give the
coal companies additional room in their
yards for an increased supply between
now and November I.
Fresh Meat-The big packing concerns
centring in New York and vicinity have
I, md tan nf
This is figured by IT. G.. Lee. general
manager for Armour & Co. on the basis
that 100000 people will cat an average
of half pound a day. BY severe econ
omy the supply could be stretched out
over period of perhaps three weeks.
Such executives as Leo of Armour 8
profess to be little disturbed by any fear
OF a meat famine" and say frankly
that they do not believe the Federal
Government would permit population
of this size to be deprived OF meat food.
II. D. Knoop of the Federal Bureau of
Markets agrees with Mr.. Lee as to the
ten days fresh meat supply and adds
that there are provisions enough Tor at
least two weeks.
Huge Cold storage supply.
BY rationinr there would be enough
for three weeks, Mr.. Knoop holds.
Herschel II. Jones. New York repre-
sentative of the State Division OF Farms
and Markets, has made a survey of
the cold storage situation. and reports
that New York city has this cold stor-
age accumulation to fall back upon:
Creamery butter. 12.7ls,9SS pounds
American cheese. 4.45s.625 pounds: eggs
770.254 cases: frozen beef. 4,735,Sls
pounds; cured beef, SD.121 pounds;
frozen pork. 1.s52.so1 pounds; dry sal,
pork. 165.134 pounds; sweet pickisd pork
1895 pounds: frozen lamb and NUT
ton, 2.252.625 pounds; miscellaneou!
meats. 3,554.o27 pounds; broilers, S.is2.Ss