“In order to ration soap in a manner to cause the least inconvenience to the public and obtain the most satisfactory results, believe the program should be divided between toilet and laundry soaps . . . “ April 28, 1943.
Record Group 188: Records of the Office of Price Administration
Series: Records Relating to the Soap Rationing Program
File Unit: F. W. Woolworth Co.
Transcription:
MEMORANDUM April 28, 1943.
TO: William A. Nielander
Assistant Director
Food Rationing Division
FROM: A.Q.Smith
New York, N.Y.
SUBJECT: Soap Rationing Plans
In reply to your memorandum of April 17, 1943, we
give herewith our views:-
In order to ration soap in a manner to cause the
least inconvenience to the public and obtain the most satis-
factory results, believe the program should be divided
between toilet and laundry soaps for the reasons set forth
herewith.
The greater majority of variety chain and drug stores,
whether chain or not, handle toilet soaps in a considerable
variety but do not handle laundry soaps or powders.
The greater majority of grocery stores handle laundry
soaps and powders, but none, or a limited supply of toilet
soaps.
Department stores usually carry toilet soaps in or
near their drug departments and laundry soaps and powders in
their houseware departments which are often on separate floors,
and it would be inconvenient for a customer to obtain both
kinds of soap on one coupon at one time.
The super-markets carry extensive lines of laundry
soaps and powders, and extensive lines of the most widely used
toilet soaps.
Unless provision were made for obtaining toilet and
laundry soaps separately, the greater part of the business
would tend to flow to the super-market stores.
Further believe that medicinal soap should not be
rationed as it may happen that coupons for a period are used
up, and if a member of the family should become ill and a
medicinal soap is required, there would be difficulty in
obtaining same.
Also believe shaving soaps should be dropped from the
program as such soaps are usually purchased by men, and if the
coupon for a period should be used up, no shaving soap could
be obtained. Grocery stores and super-markets do not carry
shaving soaps and a consumer purchasing soap in such stores
would not be able to obtain shaving soap.
Considering the four systems so far under consideration
believe:
1: The UNIT system may be eliminated as it does not
tend to be sufficiently flexible for this type of rationing.
[stamped at top right]
Apr 29 RECD
FOOD RATIONING DIVISION
[page 2]
Page 2 April 28, 1943.
2: The VALUE system would be the simplest and most
easy to administer and would cover the greatest number and
range of items. However, it would practically eliminate the
higher priced soaps, but as these higher priced soaps are a
luxury, their elimination will be no hardship except to the
manufacturers and the retailers who handle same, or consumers
used to such soaps.
3: The POINT system operated by assigning a number
of points to a coupon and arbitrarily placing a break-point
on a coupon could be operated in a simple manner. For example,
the coupon value of X points would be good for X ounces of
toilet or laundry soaps and one coupon could be used each week.
This would not limit the size or value of the cake of soap,
but would bring up the question of weight. It is believed that
each store could list the factory weight of the soap on hand
until such time as manufacturers could mark their soap with
factory weights. Such factory weights should be placed on
packages or bars of soap or packages of soap powders at the
earliest opportunity. This system would eliminate the objections
mentioned in the first five paragraphs of this letter.
4: The BLOCK system would be inconvenient in that
it would be necessary for the consumer to anticipate her wants
for a set period of time ahead, unless she had a stock on hand
at the time of rationing. If the consumer did not accurately
gauge her requirements, it would mean that she might be short
in one item and over in another, which would be an unsatis-
factory situation. If, however, it is intended to permit the
consumer to accumulate a supply prior to the beginning of the
rationing period, and then use the BLOCK system to replenish
the supply used, the system would be recommended. This system,
however, would tend to draw practically all of the business into
super-market stores as customers would have to purchase all of
their supplies at one point where the various kinds of soaps or
powders were available.
After considering the various systems, we believe
system No. 3., or the so-called POINT system would be preferable
as far as variety chain stores are concerned.
21 notes
·
View notes