New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-15
!, ccssts Advisability of
En- fSbargo to Conserve
Country's Wheat.
Er,TE TO BEGIN
INQUIRY TOMORROW
Eouty Attorney General
n Prosecute if Crime
ran Be Established.

L. lCok Win o''' N'N' "
II lat exports is contained in let
II ..;,,sn hv him Yesterday and sd-
l. 20 President Wilson. Accom-
L. the letter was the report Of the
III -, Committee on Food Supply. OF
H. George ". Perkins is chairman.
L., the letter Of the Mayor and
p,rkins's report we're speeding TO
I.5,rton with their dire messages.
l.. Hsrtissn, Commissioner OF
A ...s and Measures. was glowing
I o,timism and predicting an i'm
L a., further drop in wheat and The
i ,ossibility Of four-cent bread.
n, Psrkins's report advocates an I'M
=, embargo on the shipping Of
/ :, 10 Europe. and the Mayors let
,,pesrs to reflect his con. .mittee's
,ar,pts in many respects. The let
tllcws:
y, Dear President Wilson: in
!, herewith copy Of report just
!, 10 me BY the Committee on Food
,,ly which / appointed last summer.
Is,re is in immediate prospect much
ri,sip and suffering in New York
ether cities caused by the recent
case in the price Of bread. In ;he
few DAYS this increase has
Irgried 10 20 per cent, which is a
| " considerable burden on our poor
! ~, But this is lot all. The peo-
/ !, q. growing anxious lest here be
G i.rther increase.
Blames Expectation.
Z, main factor in the increase IN
| ;. ,r,e Of bread is undoubtedly the
,rus in the price Of wheat, and the
leaa in the price of wheat would
INA to be mainly due to the amount
neat we already have exported;
n set, as understand il. this ex-
rtstleu has been largely from sur
! 8 vh.s, that we could spare because
wr rery large crop last year.
Any further expectation, therefore,
,leariv cat into our normal stock.
vhss. sas gone from approximately
to over 81 60. while we have been
sung IRON surplus, the question
rn as to how high il may go IN the
| n future II VIC begin TO export from
+ Vhest We need for our own con-
|.Tiion.
appreciate that We owe great
y 10 the people in Europe who need
X fed and clothed. but we also owe
;rest deal 10 our own people IN our
|,:sstrisl centres who need 20 be fed
,. clothed Our country has contrib
/ 70 literally in many ways TO our un-
rtuhste brothers abroad, but It the
|snsnt II seems 20 me that the poor
|tple Of our own country are being
asst TO contribute more than their
in when they arc asked TO pay an
sesse OF 20 per cent in the price Of
|a,l daily bread.
Personally, believe that We have
scent wheat for our own needs, but
a We can in afford 10 spare much
re ] further believe that the pres
fnee Of wheat is higher than II
/ q, 10 be, even in view Of the large
'''eht ALREADY exported. partly be
Of feeling or The part OF farm
and middlemcn that Europe will
I" great deal more in the next
= months and al much higher prices
a. row prevail.
Asks Presidents Reinsurance.
me announcement 10 our people by
" administrator Of authentic fig
a. 10 the amount OF wheat We now
It on hand, as compared with what
I uso year ago coupled, II possible,
some Assurance that the admins
.son ~ keenly alive 10 the situation
prepared 10 take whatever steps
oeeesssry 70 prevent our own sup
4 y wheat being reduced below our
s n needs. would, believe, be more
|t,"e and bring more, immediate
~ thsn anything else that could
'0he. ] ask your earnest considera-
" the lncloSed report.
|ou,, Respectfully yours,
xyuN PCRROY Mitchell. Mayor"
~ report Of the Mayors committee
So out that unless an immediate
s'go was declared, the European
sag Tor wheat would continue 10
~ me prlec up and might result in
Inespondlng increase in the price
'spars,ions are being completed for
MestlgstiOn into the bread stu
IN New York State. Alfred l..
~, Deputy Attorney General, who
ysep designated by Attorney Cen
woodbury. 10 conduct the inquiry,
sst night that he would be ready
,.Seeeo ~ with the first hearing at IL
~ Tomorrow morning.
10 Investigate Bakers.
~ FIRST step will be 20 take the
I,sohy OF representative Of the
s ~ and baking associations Of
NV To that end he has called
ss appearance Of the officials Of
" me large concerns doing busi-
sste. The points which Mr.. Becker
~. % clear up are:
whether the increase in the
49,, :" bread is due to a bona-fde in
-, VI the price Of -four and a de-
.,..S OF the stocks Of -four pur-
49, bakers, at lower prices.
=. .s'ne, Whether the increase in the
VI bread has been due 10 any
i sseo setion or agreement on the
NJ ne Wholesale or retail bakers.
=. ~ whether the increase in the
49,. y. hour has been justified by the
s''on Of the wheat which the
! =, nave purchased or contracted
Fss., lower scale Of prices.
SO whether the sudden and
lessr rise OF wheat on the ex-
49, 49,, mas been justified by any
e conditions affecting the sup
1, S ny, demand, or has been due to
believed that the root of the
M the bull campaign in wheat"
VI Becker, "snd ] believe that if