The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-17
WILSON URGED
T0INVESTIGATE
WHEATSUPPLY
Agriculture Dept. Confessed
Ignorance, Says Mrs.
Heath.
BAKERS DENY PLOT
TO RAISE PRICES

President Wilson will receive in his
mail this morning a letter from Mrs
Julian Heath. president of the National
housewives League. telling him that tho
Federal Department of Agriculture con-
fessed It's inability to Civ her .inforrna-
lion concerning the wheat supply of the
country and urging him to instruct the
Department to investigate the stock or
wheat at once "in order that the citi-
zens OF the United States may have full
knowledge of the quantity OF available
wheat and where II is now being held
II is understood that Attorney-Gien-
cral woodbury's Office. which started
Yesterday an investigation into bread.
nour and wheat prices. also asked sec
rotary Houston ten days ago for ngures
as 10 the supply of wheat on hand but
did not get the information. The De-
partment OF Agriculture replied. how
ever. that IL was investigating along
similar lines mapped out for the New
York inquiry. In preparing Tor the
inquiry Deputy Attorney-Genern Alfred
l.. Becker. il Is said. learned from the
New York Produce Exchange that the
Federal Department OF Agriculture mad
asked the exchange to furnish II with
certain statistics regarding wheat. IL
10 further said that Henry Hcinzer and
\. J.. Russell. statlsticians for the eN-
change, have supplied. or are about TO
supply. Uncle Sans experts with n re-
port.
Mr.. Heinzer and Mr.. Russell will he
the principal witnesses at to-day's ses-
sion OF the Accomplishments inquiry.
Mr.. Becker says he believes their testi-
rnony will have "A very important bear
ing on the things that he Is trying to
fnd out, as it will deal with facts con-
corning the supply and demand OF
wheat.
Bakers Deny Combination.
Yesterdays session. which lasted over
four hours, was confined to bakers and
others in a position to know something
about the causes which led to the in
crease in bread prices. One OF the chief
admissions made by bakers. big and
small, was that the price of bread went
up practically all along the line on the
same day. although all insisted most
emphatically that II was not the result
Of any agreement for concerted action
nor the resuA of a conspiracy or COM
bination. The high cost of fio,h' made
ihS ~ lltStSShANF Nv hAp "AAa
me price went up by reason of indi-
orders.
1t was admitted last night that re-
ports rave reached Deputy Attorney
General Becker that employees OF at
least one large wholesale baking con-
Germ have threatened to boycott grocers.
~delicatessen men and other retailers who
deal in other than six cent bread. II Is
charged that where retailers lave been
lsnnuy,1 IN hlN rhaa nAr bread from nfbAr
bakers refusals to deliver five cent bread
(Which retails AT six cents) have fol-
lowed. 1t is known that Mr.. Becker
will try to get retailers TO testify as to
the alleged methods OF coercion to keep
them in line with the Increased prices
Charges Official Ignorance.
In her letter 20 President Wilson
Mrs. Heath said she asked the Depart
ment Of Agriculture the following ques-
tons
"How much of our wheat supply
are the producers still holding?
"How much of our wheat supply
IL now in the elevators?
ia tho wheat moving from pro-
Queer to elevator and from the ele-
vstors to the market?
"Are the producers shipping into tho
elevators? What percentage Of our sur
plus has already been shipped abroad 80
She offered a copy of a letter from
Carl Nrooman. Assistant Secretary of
the Department OF Agriculture. to show
that not only was the Department I'M
able TO give the information but was
obliged to refer 20 the Chicago Daily
Trade Bufittin. which seemed to be their
Only source of information"
In his letter to Mrs. Heath Assistant
Secretary Vrooman quoted the Chicago
u T--I. -
saving that the aggregate quantity of
wheat on farms on January l. a about
3es, 900, 900 bushels. as compared with
about 10000 900 bushels one year AFRO.
He also quoted the Daily Trade Bu!'e-
I'm as reporting the stock OF wheat In
second hands on January ! az l16.32a.-
900 bushels. as compared with 1904, 900
on January l, 1914.
Tells oS Flour Advance.
Alfred Romer. vice-president OF and
buyer for the Shuts Bread Company.
which conducts twelve bakeries, told
Mr.. Becker at the afternoon session of
the Attorney-General's inquiry that be-
tween February IS, 1914. n Febru-
airy Is. 1915. his concern bought be-
tween 400, 600, 900 and 500. 000, 900 bar
rels of flour. In hat time the company.
he said. has paid an dvanc of s3.25
on wheat flour and 1915 on rye -four.
Although the Shuts Bread Company
advanced the price OF n loaf one cent.
he said. il has increa sed the weight OF
4 loaf somewhat. He explained that the
executive committee OF the company
passed a resolution on February 6 to
raise the price.
Mr.. Ron er said that when times are
hard all bread Is utilized. but when
times are flush the garbage pals, 1t
viii be noticed, contain lots of bread
Harry d. Upton, auditor for the
Shuts Bread Company, figured out the
cost Of making a loaf OF bread with
Hour AT SO per barrel az SO.0iG5, at
$3.50 per barrel s0.0iS, at 81 s0.O495, at
$3.50 S0.0jl25 and at IS 8 0.O5275.
Nh FRONT over $3.50.
"f -four is over $3.50 per barrel"
ne said. bread cannot be baked OF a
prom
W. Herschcl Collins, president OF the
General Baking Company, controlling
80, .-.t =