Show And a Short Time Tune Ago We Wondered What to Do With All Ail Our Surpluses Sur luses Despite the fact there is no serious shortage of essential commodities commodities and and andin in some cases we have bave such huge surpluses surpluses surpluses sur sur- pluses that only a aj few weeks ago everybody everybody everybody every every- body was wondering what we were going to do with them them panic panic buying continues continues continues con con- in Salt Lake City and elsewhere In the nation Runs on sheets nylons electric appliances food items tires and a dozen and one other things are reported by retailers And oddly enough most of those who arc are doing the buying do donot donot donot not regard themselves as unpatriotic hoarders who are only helping to create shortages raise prices and force rigid government controls As one retailer reported many offer the explanation I HI want to stock up before those hoarders get everything Fortunately our stocks of many Items are sufficiently large that even the selfish panic buying probably will Swill not be enough to cause serious shortages For instance the United States has just made arrangements to buy up all the Cuban sugar surplus of more than tons which gives this country the largest supply of sugar in its history There is no sugar shortage and even with considerable hoarding there should be plenty for everyone The meat supply situation is excel excel- lent There is more meat in cold storage than normally and recent improvement in European meat supplies means a lower U. U S S. S export demand The spring pig crop was one of the largest on record and the number of beef cattle on feed last January 1 was an time all-time record The only reason for high m meat at t prices today is that people have plenty of money and it is traditional in America for people to buy more meat the more money they ther have The government has huge quantities of eggs butter dried milk and other poultry and daily dairy products in storage Stocks of canned goods arc are high There is plenty of soap fats There is an ample supply of all kinds of clothing Of course if out all-out war should come this situation might change rather quickly But there isn't anyone in America who knows whether there will willbe willbe willbe be such out all-out war war and and if there should be it is likely to be so rigorous that the hoarders may have to sneak out behind the barn to enjoy their secret store of nylons or neckties Its It's funny how a war scare can change public attitudes s overnight Just Justa a couple of months ago we were wondering wondering wondering won won- dering what to todo do about our agricultural surpluses and questioning whether we could continue turning out all the refrigerators and automobiles and baby buggies which had kept employment at near record levels And now because of the fighting in sized pint-sized Korea we think the bottom has dropped out of the American economic machine and there are going to be dire shortages of everything everything everything every every- thing from blankets to bobby pins We Ve expect a little courage on the part of our fighting forces in Korea as they face the unknown We Ve dont don't expect them to go to pieces and succumb to hysteria They have a right to expect a similar display of fortitude and restraint from us |