Evening star., 1938-10-11

commodity distribution. These organ
izations are required by the corporation
to have at their disposal warehouses
for receiving and storing carload ship
ments, trucks to transport the COM
modities to distributing points within
the State, personnel to repackagc CON-
modities when necessary, and finally,
distribution outlets which will get the
commodities into the hands of the
needy.
Can Meet Emergencies.
Each State welfare agency keeps the
Federal Surplus Commodities Corp.
posted as to its operations and needs
through regular monthly reports.
These reports enable the corporation to
plan its purchase and distribution ac-
tivities. From the welfare agency
reports, the corporation is in position
to know each States relief caseload,
the volume of commodities actually
distributed, and inventory holdings in
each State. Thus, when an emergency
arises in any section the corpora ton
knows what supplies of relief foodstuffs
already are in the territory, and the
nearest State from which additional
supplies may be obtained from inven-
tory holdings.
During the recent hurricane in the
Northeast, the emergency food short
age was met with inventory supplies
Of surplus farm products made avail
able for the State welfare agencies by
the Federal Surplus Commodities Corp.
Additional supplies were quickly moved
into the stricken area by the corpora
ton from inventory holdings tn near
by States.
Meeting emergency situations which
arise out Of disasters Is only = very
small part Of the job Of the Federal
Surplus Commodities Corp. Its big
task Is to see that surplus farm prod
ucts get into the hands Of the millions
In need on State relief rolls.
Relief distribution Of surplus com.
modities received from the corporation
Is governed by strict regula tons to
safeguard the commercial trade in
these commodities. Under these regu-
lations, only people certified by the
relief agency to be in need may receive
surplus commodities. This includes
people who receive direct relief, old
age assistance, aid to the blind, Farm
Security Administration aid, Works
Progress Administration security wage
workers, and those families not on
relief but whose income level places
them on the relief border line. In
addition, surplus commodities may be
used for school lunch programs and
nursery schools. 3
Limiting the distribution of surplus
commodities only to those people in
need, and without buying power, as
sures the use of these products by
people who otherwise would have to 70
without them.
Increase in Consumption.
Another requirement which must be
met by the State welfare agencies is
Of vital Importance to the commercial
trade, Relief agencies must distribute
surplus commodities to the needy In
addition to and not in substitution
for supplies which these people may
buy Or receive from other sources.
Through this requirement it Is possible
to bring about q net increase in total
consumption of farm products which
after all is one of the main purposes
of the Federal Surplus Commodities
Corp. The products distributed MI
part Of the gap between what relief
families obtain from other sources and
what they need to maintain health.
During the last fiscal year, from
July /, 1887, to June 80, 1898, farm
products supplied by the Federal Sur
plus Commodities Corp. were distrib-
uted by State welfare agencies to an
average of over 2,0oO,Oo0 needy fami-
lies month. Reports which we have
received from State officials clearly
show that the surplus farm products
given to the needy to supplement what
they already had been resolving
brought better living and better health.
The products bought for relief dis
tribution by the Federal Surplus Com
modities Corp. during the last fiscal