The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-06-19
SENATORS TOLD
SPECTATORS GET
QUARTER BILLION
Adoption Of Food Control Bill
Is Urged,
DICTATORSHIP is DENIED
Demands Of War Make Law
Necessary, He Asserts,

WASHINGTON, June lo--Food
SpeculatOrs have been taking $50m,m
a month for the last five months--a
tu'al OF a quarter OF billion dollars
from the American people, Herbert c,
Hoover today Gold senators in EXPLAIN
ing the purposes of thS7food control
bill now before congress
To Organize Resources.
DScIaimng entirely that the bill
sets up a food dis,atorship Mr.. Hoover
told senators its purposes were to or.
ganizc the resources OF the country and
the people themselves into a food ad-
minlStration to limit mlddlemens COM
missions and prevent extortion.
With righteous manufacturers and
distributors he said the price Of
Hour should not have been over 81 4
barrel Yet j, averages $ll. In the
last five months 2S0.000000 has been
extracted from the American consumer
IN excess OF normal profits OF manu-
tacturers and distributors"
No Trade Associations Opposed.
Not single national trade associs-
tion, Hoover told the senator's, is op-
/ posed to the food control bill
The real question" Mr. Hoover said
~ prepared statement preliminary to
senatorial questioning, is whether tho
shortage will continue next year and
what will he the needs OF the allies
and America Despite the reduced
consumption OF the allies they will re-
qulre a larger amount OF cereals next
year than ever The allies are more
isolated IN food resources. 1t takes
three times the tonnage and double tho
trouble TO get Australian wheat. Crop
failures in Argentina give no hope Of
relief from there before next spring.
Dependent on North America.
The allies are dependent on North
America iof most OF their food imports.
We should be able to supply % percent
ot what they require The other 10
/ percent must be made up b. further
denial on their part and saving on ours.
We can increase our surplus. Tho
situation ior them next year means in
creased privaton. Without an ade-
qua,c food supply no European popula-
. ton will continue to tight, and we shall
/ ind ourselves alone against Germany.
- he Russian revolution was a food
riot and even vet that ally is tenn
I pCrarlly paralyled Responsibility rests
ION our government for failure of
. democracy through a shortage OF food"
/ Unprecedented Prices.
Turning 20 domestic conditions. Mr..
/ Hoover said this country has been ex.
Ipcrcuclng Unprecedented prices and
rampant speculation" citing how mid
dlemcn and all other persons in tho
distribution processes have been pur-
chasing increased supplies to avert in
diydual shortages.
Mr. Hoover cited the canning ,rado
as an example where the entire output
ot vegetables and fish ior 1917 has
been disposed of already before il ha,
even reached the Gamers. He pre-
dlcted further high prices Thousands
ot men, he said, who heretofore have
never owned a dollars worth Of food
Stults, are now specula,ing IN neeessi-
tics.
Bread Prices Lower in England.
The average prices 10 the consumers
IN countries where food administration
is now IN the hands Of the government
are lower than those in the United
States" he said. In England the price
IT bread is even . percent below the
price We pay believe that unless some
administration OF our food IS taken we
.wlll look back al these prices as being
mtleratc"
+ Mr. Hoover denied that the bill estAb.
hshc, food dictatorship
\ commission TO take charge OF pro-
/ duD'ion and distribution OF flour. sugar.
and possibly few other principal COM
Imoditle,. Mr Hoover said. IL being
contemplated