What does feather merchant mean?

Answer 1

During WWII in the U.S. Army, stateside and in the European Theater of Operations, "feather merchant" described a person who talked good deal but whose speech was light in content. I suspect the same was true on the Pacific side. During the early days of the US Army, perhaps as early as the Revolutionary War, it was used to describe unscrupulous merchants (perhaps precursors of Haliburton) who would include rocks and other heavy objects to add weight to the feathers sold to the government that were used for soldiers' pillows, mattresses and such, so to increase the contractors profits. I believe I first read about it in Max(?) Shulman's book "Rally "Round the Flag Boys," which was also made into a movie with Paul Newman and several other popular actors of the era (1950-60s). Shulman was the author of the Dobbie Gillis Books, including "Barefoot Boy with Cheek," or something like that, and one book, which I did not read, that included "The Feather Merchant(s) . . ." in the title.

Answer 2

I have heard military personnel refer to retired military working for civilian contractors on military bases as feather merchants. They are also referred to as double dippers because they are getting military retirement and a civilian paycheck. Their companies were hired by the Pentagon. It usually involves what some people call make work, that is, overseeing work already done by the military.