Evening star., 1938-10-22


to the needy at loD prtces.)
By the Associated Press.
The Agriculture Departments pro-
gram for selling surplus farm products
to low-income Americans at reduced
prices will begin on a limited scale
but eventually may benefit 100000
families.
oticials indicated today that the
program would be started within a
few weeks by offering few vegetables,
fruits and dairy products to under
privileged families at cut-rate prices.
Later larger range Of foodstuffs and
cotton goods and clothing will be
added.
One Of the most perplexing prob
lens for the instigators is drawing
the line between consumers who will
have to pay regular market prices and
those who will be permitted to buy
at the lower prices.
Generally speaking, the department
wants the benefits of the reduced
prices made available to families hav-
ing an annual income of less than
$500. Ofncials estimate that third
Of the American families are In this
class.
Two Groups Suggested.
It IS possible, officials said, that
these families might be divided into
two groups. In one would be fami-
lies receiving surplus farm commodi-
ties now being distributed free by
the Federal Surplus Commodities
Corp. In this gorup are unemploy-
able persons on State relief rolls, re-
cipients Of old-age pensions. the needy
blind, dependent children and linn
tied number of w. P. A. and private
industrial and business workers with
large families and an insufficient in
come to provide minimum food needs.
This class, numbering about 2,000.-
900 families, probably will continue to
get surplus commodities free of
charge.
In the second group would be
W. P. A. workers not getting free food.
as well as Farm Security Administra-
ton clients and low-income workers
employed in private industry. Esti-
mated at between 100000 and 6,000,-
900 families, this group would be eligi-
bic to buy at the reduced prices.
The matter Of deciding which pri-
vately employed families should be
eligible for the lower prices probably
will be left to State and county relief
ofncials.
Distribution Undecided.
The department has not yet de-
cided how the surplus goods will be
distributed. Both local retail stores
and Government-contro stores may
be used. Officials said that more than
$4,000 retailers now are helping dis
tribute the free commodities to relief
clients.
Relief agencies already have at least
one food storage and distributing CEN
ter in most counties, and these could
be utilized.
It has been suggested that those
buying at the reduced prices be re-
quired to continue their normal pur-
chases from private retailers. This
method, designed to protect private
business from undue loss Of trade, Is
being followed in Boston in the dis
tdbution of milk
There the Federal Surplus Com
modities Corp. buys surplus milk and
turns it over to the city, which in
turn sells it to relief and w. P. A.
clients for 2 cents a quart, or the
cost Of processing. Purchasers must
agree to continue to buy from dairies
or stores as much milk as they bought
before the low-cost milk was made
available. Officials said. however, such
. regulation was difficult to enforce.
Whether it will be necessary to issue
cards to consumers eligible to buy at
reduced prices has not been decided.
Since the surplus commodities un-
doubtedly would be Of lower grades
and qualities, officials forecast they
would not be sought by many persons
with incomes above $500. In the
case Of cotton the surplus might be
made available in the form of over
alls, work shirts, gingham dresses and
the like.