Evening star., 1943-04-10
Shortage Cuts
Potatoes From
Ga||inger Diet
Many Institutions
Report Difficulty
In Obtaining Food

The 1,10o patients at Gallinger
Hospital must 60 without potatoes
over the week end, it was reported
today. unless supply of the scarce
commodity turns up somewhere
during the day.
st. Ehzabeth's Hospital has been
entirely out of potatoes for the past
several days, but a carload arrived
today from Chicago and should
meet needs for couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, all of the Districts in
stltutions had virtually no chickens
for the past several weeks. Poultry
is extensively used in these places
IN the preparation of broth and hos
pital commissaries found it neces-
sary to substitute beef broth.
Difficult To Get Food.
The difficulty of procurement of
food supplies for institutions here
was described today by Roland M.
Brennan, District purchasing officer,
as being "the most critical I have
ever seem" An institution official
said it also was difficult to get fresh
fruits and vegetables, urgently
needed by the hospitals since the
rationing of processed food began.
DR.. Edgar A. Bocock, superinten-
dent OF Gallinger Hospital, said the
potato supply there was down to
several bags. He explained that the
hospital normally uses 10 bags day
and that there would be none left
tomorrow unless a new shipment
came in sometime today Mean
While, the hospital was making ar
rangements to substitute other foods
to provide the necessary carbo-
hydrates in the diets of the patients.
According to Mr.. Brennan, the
contractor who was to supply Gal
llnger with 80 tons of potatoes dur
Ing April was making every effort
TO obtain new shipments. He has
so fan delivered about 80 tons.
Can't Get Local Bids.
According to Monte Sanger, as
slstant to the superintendent at St
Ellzabeth's, efforts had been made
Tor days to get merchants to bid
on 1he potato contract for that
establishment. The contract was
hnally let, Mr.. Sanger said, to
chicago commission merchant be-
cause it appeared to be impossible
to get local bids.
After the hospital had run out of
white potatoes, Mr.. Sanger said
sweet potatoes and other substi-
tutes were used on the hospital
menus
The official also explained that it
was difficult to get an adequate sup
ply OF fresh vegetables.
We can't go out and shop as the
housewife does" he said. We've
got to buy under contract, and it
isn't always easy to get bids these
days"
None of the local poultry mer-
chants have been willing to bid on
furnishing fowl because of the un-
certainty of the supply situation,
he said.
Penal Institutions Hit.
District officials also revealed that
the penal institutions have been out
OF potatoes at various times recently,
but that they have used other foods
to make up this deficiency.
The OPA order which, until re-
Gently, placed premium on seed
potatoes. resulted in the diversion
OF considerable quantities of table
stock into seed. it was said. Even
though this price inequality has
eeen removed, Department of Agri-
culture officials believe it will be
some time before the potato supply
approaches normal again because of
the heavy demands made by the
armed services.
The small stocks of potatoes that
remained in local stores were being
doled out in small quantities and
were not expected to last long.