The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-22

and not a local one, and
 this understanding that Mayor
 %rrote few days ago to Pres ident Wilson Much of the information contained in his letter to the President was obtained from MT. Perkins, who had caused careful and thorough examina tion to be made of our wheat supply, and Of what relation if now has and what relation 1t will have, if the exports of wheat continue to the food necessities Of the people of the United States. Already there are evidences. Mayor Mitchell says. of real hardship not only in New York. but in other cities, which is oecasoned by the increase in the price of bread. This now amounts to 20 per cent and in the aggregate the additional 1 cent a loaf anxiety of the people would not be so great were there not fear that further increase is inevitable.
 E The profound economic question-which is national in it's scope-nvolved in the increase in the price of a loaf of bread is associated with the fact that the price of wheat has been steadily increased and this increase is traceabe directly to our already enormous exports of wheat Mayor Mitchell has been informed by MT Perkins and he in turn has now in formed President Wilson that the wheat which has been sold and exported was chiefly the surplus which the very large crop of last year made possible. But for this stupendous surplus the price of wheat E at this time would probably be greater than it now is. and there might, in fact, arise an immediate question for the ad- ministration at Washington to consider whether or not some measures should be taken in order to prevent further ex- ports of wheat. But if the sale of wheat to nations across the sea should be cur tailed then an important, possibly un- favorable. factor in our international financial situation would be injected.
 Cutting Into the Normal Stock
 The President has been informed by Mayor Mitchell that it Is the belief of MT. Perkins, and the food supply committee, that from this time on,' if we continue to export wheat, we must secure it from normal stock-that is to say, we must face a great reduction in the supply of wheat upon which the people of the United States rely for their bread This may involve of consideration of the expediency of some kind of embargo, although it Is rec ognized by lawyers and business men that very serious problems at once arise when an embargo is under consideration.
 Today there is undoubtedly sufficient supply of wheat left for the needs of the people of the United States until the new harvest is available. If we can stop where we are, we are safe so far as our own national food supply is concerned.
 Mayor Mitchell agrees with MT Perkins in the view that undoubtedly the present high price is in part due to the fact that some of the farmers are now holding back their wheat deeming it possible, if not probable, that 1t may be as high as E. a bushel There is no question about the perfect right of the farmers. in law at least, to hold back their wheat until they are of the opinica that the highest price has been reached for it.
 What the administration should do just now, Mayor Mitchell is persuaded. Is to secure accurate figures which will show how much wheat We now have on hand in the country, for action of that kind would tend to assure the peopleathat the administration will be prepared to take whatever steps may be expedient to save for the American people an abundant SUD- ply of wheat.
 The Antitrust Law
 While it is possible that legal measures under the sherman antitrust law would prevail if action were brought against the bakers who have simultaneously increased the price, provided it can be shown that they acted together in making that in crease, yet the best legal authority is of the opinion that the sherman law cannot be utilized for the purpose of restraining or prosecuting Americans who have sold wheat for export and have realized stead