The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-11-27
See Plenty Of Food
" rs Handed Riohi
Only Exception Might
Be Dairy Products
Farm Bloc. Not the COP.
Blocked Wheat Deal
What About a. 7. st.
So Dividend7
BY LOU SCHNEIDER

Paul s. Willis. president Of IN.
Grocery Manufacturers Of Amer.
lea. says Americas food industr,
has delivered the astounding total
Of more than 800, 900 tons O.
foodstuffs 10 the Allies in the past
year. This does not include ths
$1,000 tons OF food taken every
day by the army. or does II include
foodstuffs taken by other units o.
our fighting forces.
Mr.. Willis figures Of foodstuff,
going to the armed forces, or via
lend-lease to the United Nations
does not disturb the trade. The
firm conviction il that America
can and win produce through 1913,
not only all military needs but
those for civilians a. well. The
Commodity Research Bureau. Inc,
too, says there is an ample supply
of commodities.
Despite the above data, the
WPB food requirements committee
IL set to ration civilians. And this
on the advices OF Secretary OF
Agriculture Wickard who fore
casts that foodstuffs output next
year will fall under that OF this
year. In all. says the food trade,
the situation has become hysterical
and calls It scandal" The trade
demands the immediate appoint
ment Of car over the Industry.
The national food problem IL cur
rently more sticky than the rubber
problem ever was. A car Is nee
essary. May your correspondent
recommend ex-President Herbert
Hoover? He undoubtedly Is the
nations foremost wartime food au-
thority - and did good Job
through the years of World War 1.
Department Of agriculture off,
cials fear a large-scale shift from
milk to pork production. This be-
cause Of the large amount Of cost
ly help needed in dairying and the
high prices for hogs.
The government can settle the
dairy cattle vs.. hogs problem via
either raising the price Of milk or
lowering the price Of hogs. And IL
looks az II milk prices are to be
increased.
Boosting the price of milk means
higher wages for dairy hands =
governments policy is to help labor
and. anyway, the government
doesn't want consumers to have
too much money since 1t permits
easier spending and possible in
flation.
Food trade informants agree
that there may be a lessening of
output of dairy products next year.
This because Of the expected reduc-
ton in milk production. And that
because of a shortage of labor on
milk farms. Rationing for civilian
use Is generally accepted as GER
tain for 1943.
Best of opinion Is that 1913 will
witness a reduction In output of
cheese, butter, cream, evaporated
milk, skim milk and ice cream.
The wPB plans the following re-
auctions: Cheese -43 per cent;
skim milk-43 per cent; evapo-
rated n1ilk-21 per cent; butter
Is per cent; fresh milk and cream
% per cent: and, ice cream-2
per cent.
Unless the government eases the
price squeeze on flour millers. the
cost Of bread must rise. Millers'
profits are sinking to the vanish
ing point as wheat prices advance
and flour prices hold under an In
flexible ceiling. II flour prices ad-
vance, bakers will advance bread
prices.
The only escape from a bread
price boost is for the government
TO subsidize wheat. This can be
accomplished by purchasing direct
from wheat farmers and selling at
a lower price to flour mills.
II was the congressional farm
bloc, and not the increased strength
of the Republican party in con-
gress. that caused the house ways
and means committee 10 reject
President Roosevelt's request for
additional wartime powers to cut
tariff rates. etc.
The farm bloc did not ike the
recent department of agriculture
report that some 300, 900 900 BUSH
els Of Canadian feed grain would
be imported duty free. The farm
bloc says the move is unnecessary
because OF the large amounts or
hand. and the prospect Of prices
crashing.
The American Telephone Il Tele'
graph directors voted the usual
s2.25 quarterly dividend distribu'
ton this week. payable Jan. Is
1913, to stockholders Of record
Dec. IS, 1912. But that does moi
mean the regular" rate Is secure
II should interest the company