The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-12-10
Food Rationing is Seen as Impractical for Canada
Direct Producer to Consumer Selling
Would Make Enforcement Difficult
BY S. BURTON HEATH
NEA Service Staff Correspondent


OTTAWA, Dec. 10 - The
people of Canada are wonder
ing about butter and meat ra-
tioning, but the Foods Admin
istration has no such ideas. II
is doubtful whether the Do
minion will attempt to ration
any agricultural commodities
The reason for Canadian reluc-
lance to ration foodstuffs is ad-
ministrative, and it arises from
the fact that the Dominion is
preponderantly agricultural.
Successful rationing requires
the existence of bottlenecks -
fixed points through which a
commodity must pass so that II
can be controlled. In a country
where most people can buy di-
rect from producers, enforce
ment would require literal ar
mics of agents if, indeed, 1t
could be made to work at all.
TEA is RATIONED
At present the only item ra-
toned in Canada and not in the
United States is tea. The only
item rationed in the United
States and not in Canada is fuel
oil.
Tea is rationed in Canada be-
cause Canadians drink much
more of that beverage than do
Americans. Fuel oil is not ra-
toned, because only single-fam-
lily houses are permitted to burn
oil at all. Apartment buildings,
factories, stores, office and loft
buildings were required to con-
vert to coal or 60 heatless.
Canadian non-eSsential motor
lists get three gallons of gaso-
line a week, like Americans do
now. The Individual sugar al
lowance is a half pound week,
like the American.
The beverage allowance, for
persons over IL years, is either
one ounce of tea or four ounces
of coffee a week. Restaurants,
hotels and other eating places
limit patrons to single cup OF
beverage and dole out the sugar
in Canada just as they do in the
United States.
PERMITS CONTROL BUYING
One restriction up here has no
counterpart south of the border.
Electric ranges, mechanical re-
frigerators, railroad watches,
farm machinery, can be bought
only with a permit. They are
not rationed, but they are close
ly controlled.
Sugar rationing has been in
effect since June, tea and coffee
since the first of August.
There is no rationing of spices,
even to the stores. Cocoa prod
ucts are rationed to dealers, on
the basis of 70 per cent of 1941
use, but not to consumers.
New buildings can be con-
structed, if one is able to get
materials and men, up to $500
in value. Alterations, either bus
mess or residential, are limited
to q maximum expenditure of
$500. In either case, permits to
exceed the limitation can be OBJ
tanned if one can make con-
vincing enough case of war need.
QUICK RETURNS
In the stores, exchanges and
refunds are forbidden after IL
days, unless the article pur-
chased proves defective, except
in the case of some furnishings
costing at least $40.
Except by special permit, very
difficult to obtain, no new bust
ness can be started; no new lines
of commodity can be stocked for
sale; no new branches can be
opened; the floor space used
must not be increased.
These regulations, which be-
came effective November 2, are
designed both to protect exist
ing businesses, already hard hit
by war regulations, and also to
minimize diversion Of materials
and manpower from war indus
try.
So far as experts can see, no
substantial extensions of either