Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-05

One of the new laws passed by the
late Congress suggests that the sur
plus crop which the McNary-Haugen
hin was intended to dump upon the
markets of the world, through GOV
eminent control, has come PACK 10
haunt the farmers through the alleged
nefarious practice Of commission iher
chants. It Is charged That tney con
spire to dump fruit and vegetable sur
muses. into waste, in order TO keep
m prices through lessening general
supplies. Such story has been ex-
tant for many years. even since tne
DAYS when Egypt had seven bumper
crops. 1t would be important, II true.
The new law provides that, begin
ming next July /, any person., nrm
or association which receives fruits,
vegetables, dairy or poultry. and VINO.
without good and sufficient cause
therefor, shall destroy or abandon OF
dump the said produce, snail De nneo
not more than $4,000 or imprisoned
not more than one year, or botn
The act provides for<official inspec-
ton of all shipments which the re-
ceiver wants to dump. under the
supervision of the agents of the De-
partment Of Agriculture.
The premises, however, are con-
tradicted by the officials of the de-
partment; who state that they nave
investigated many such complaints.
but have never discovered any case
showing wanton dumping by receiv-
ers of farm shipments. Perisnapie
fruits and vegetables have been
dumped, when found In unmarketable
condition, but 1T Is manifestly to the
interest of commission dealers TO
maintain volume of their business,
for their profits are based on quantity
sold, and there is no possible way in
which they could combine to destroy
sufficient of their fruits or other ship
ments to bull market prices enough
to offset their direct losses by de-
struction of their stock in trade. The
unsustained claim ia made, however
that they have passed the loss over
to the shipper. alleging bad condition.
+
How then does it happen that even
while producers receive no profits but
serious losses on their products. the
retail prices In cities are maintained
so that middlemen get full profits on
handling the vegetables and fruits
etc?
An example stated by a Department
of Agriculture official. of his own
observation, in Washington: Last year
tomatoes were overabundant. Pro-
ducers received in the early part or
the season 81 q box--50 pounds. Then
the price fell even down to 30 cents
a box. while the local retail stores
still charged consumers Is cents
pound for what had cost them two.
thirds of a cent pound.
The dealer explained that he could
not reduce his retail price because ut
would then be too hard to raise 1t
again If costs increased"
Another instance: A business man
in Washington. not connected with
marketing, owns an orchard in
Washington State, which. last season.
produced some six carloads Of fine
apples. He found that to box and
ship those apples to the National
Capital would cost him S1.45 a box,
aside from cost of production, but he
had confidence that here would be
better market than the Pacific Coast
afforded. so he shipped the apples
here and set out to find an outlet for
them. The best price he could get
from a jobber was $3.50 a box. He
sold instead of renting a stand to
retail the apples directly. Next morn
ing he saw his apples displayed at
$3.50 wholesale. and the prospect APP
peared that the consumer would pay
at the rate of $3.50 or more for what
the producer had Melted cents a
busheI Yet there has been no con-
spiracy to dump apples.
The new law will not relieve the
alleged conspiracy which the depart.
ment declares does not exist. The act
is not to go into effect until next
July /. and not then unless a special
session of Congress makes AN ap.
preparation for its enforcement. i'm
view of the filibuster which prevented
the passage of the deficiency ap-
preparations.
X r
There is a more scientific solution
OF all such problems than legislation
promises, and that is improved meth
DDS Of efficiency In preserving or ut!.
LIKING SURPRISES of fruits and other
farm products. Chemistry must solve
the problems. as It has already solved
many practical problems in life
Chemists connected with the famous
laboratories Of the Drs. Mayo at
Rochester Mimi, have just an
nounced that the smoke from one ton
of straw contains chemicals worth
$3.50. Yet ever since the boundleS
grain fields OF Minnesota and the la.
kotas have been sown to grain, blaz-
&x< StnAH Ata<,ss have LIGHTED -. thu
=