The Glasgow courier., 1915-12-03

STORED GRAIN
Canadian Government Takes
Decisive Action.
BUSHELS TAKEN
Grain Will be Shipped to Europe for
Use of Allies-Action was Taken
to Prevent Raise in Prices.

|
Fort William, on Lake Superior, to
the Atlantic coast.
The action was taken under the
special war act by the Canadian grain
commission. The wheat seized was Of
grades / hard and /, 2 and 3 north
ern. 1t was the property of grain
shippers and millers. That taken is
all which on Saturday night was in
public elevators at Fort William, Port
Arthur, Midland, Tiffin, Port Nc
Nichol. Collingwood, Goderich, Kings
ton, Fort Colborne, Prescott, Quebec,
ST. John, Montreal and Halifax.
A revised estimate places the
amount at about 20 million bushels.
A considerable amount is the prop
erty of American grain dealers.
The grain was taken Saturday night
so that grain exchanges should be af
fected as little as possible. 1t is Of
ficially stated that the price will be
fairly adjusted and the grain owners
promptly paid by the Canadian gov
ernment. 1t is estimated that there is
still in Canada, in the hands of farm
ers and dealers, west of Fort Will
liam, 15O,OOO,OOO bushels surplus of
wheat, available for export. 1t is
expected that most of this will be
taken in the future for the use of
Great Britain, France and Italy. The
domestic supply of Russia is more
than sufficient to meet the needs of
that country. Had the Dardanelles
been forced the surplus of wheat
. would have made the present action
unnecessary.
While the wheat just taken was
Communicated to fill an order from
the British government for large
quantity of wheat, it is understood
that most of it will be shipped to
Italy.
The Canadian government will look
after the transportation of the grain
to the Atlantic seaboard and from
tic will be undertaken by the Brit
ish government in the same way that
shipments of oats and hay have been
handled for the past year.
The following official statement
was issued by the government to-
night:
"The phenomenal crop of wheat in
the Canadian west has brought upon
the government the duty of assisting
to the farthest extent possible in its
marketing The supply of wheat the
world over is known to have been
abundant and the Importance of TAX
ing advantage Of every opportunity
to provide for the disposing Of our
grain is on that account the greater
, For many months the government has
been in touch with the British au
thorities, with view to procuring
orders from the United Kingdom anc
that allied governments in order that
the utmost share of the consuming
demand in those countries may be
turned toward our Canadian surplus
AS consequence of this, the British
government has requested the Cana
dian government to provide within
short time very large surplus OF
Nos. /, 2 and 3 northern wheat.
"The problem of meeting these re
uuirements and of doing so at suct
prices as will induce the repetition
, of orders in Canada, then confronted
!, the government.
"The effect of government pur
chases in the open market, such a!
were made by different countries ;
year ago, is we'll known to the pub
lie. The market rises abnormally
adding to the profits of grain deal
} ers and spectators who have pur
\ chased the grain which the govern
ment requires. The advance in price
of large amounts of grain in stor'
: becomes the loss of the purchasing
J government and the profit not of tn
producer, but the owner of the store'
} grain.
ITO secure the desired end thi
year the dominion government deter
! mined Saturday to commander al
No. /, 2 and 3 northern wheat il
store at the head of the lakes an
, eastward. This involves the pur
} chase of anywhere from IL to Is mil
3 lion bushels. The price has not ye