South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-24

and needed legislation 10 provide IL.
Wheat and Potatoes short
Aside from the wheat and potato
crops there has been no indicated
shortage Of staple foodstufs. the
secretary said The nation needs
for its normal domestic require
ments about 640,00O,OOO bushels of
wheat a year. ne explained; includ-
ing 100000 bushels for seeding
purposes. That amount, he said,
was about this years crop. Last
year the nation had a carry over
OF about 170.OO0,O0O bushels Of
wheat. From July / last until March
! last. the amount exported was
about 100000 bushels. With all
these facts in mind the secretary
said il was hard 10 determine the
cause for s2.32 wheat
Probably" he said, there is
partly an economic Justification
partly apprehension that the low
price paid a few years ago will be
paid again. AS TO what extent
prices may he controlled, / have no
facts on which TO base an opinion"
Figures were given showing that
the production of corn, barley. oats.
rice. milk and butter. eggs and 9TH
er food products this year were
greater or at least equal TO the aver
age for the last five years and that
production had increased.
Il think" Mr.. Houston said, the
high prices are due to a combina-
ton of circumstances.
"A combination of circumstances
and people" suggested Sen. Kenyon.
May be-" replied the secretary
Safe to Increase Production.
Sec'y Houston said he had heard
that there had been great storage
Of quantities OF food by people
alarmed over the outlook. but he did
not believe this was general In his
opinion the farmer is quite safe in
increasing production and is sure to
find high prices continuing even if
peace were to come now. But he
said the farmer should be guaran-
teed a minimum price for these
things the government told him he
should grow TO help the nation.
THE sentiment throughout the
country is fine" said he. "Undoubt-
edly the farmers are willing TO re-
spOnd 10 the best Of their ability.
There are some difficulties in their
way, but the farmers are just as pa
triotic as the rest of us. II is nat
uraI, however. that when they are
asked to pay increased prices for
seed and fertilizer they should ask.
Where do we get OFF,
Il suggest that we should have
I don't beliece congress should at
tempt To fix prices of things that
would be subject to shift and the
power should he conferred upon the
executive
Perhaps in certain extreme
emergencies there should be the
power to fix maximum prices There
might be cases of speculation that
could be controlled that way ! sug-
gest that you confer the power on
the council of national defense to
act at the direction of the president
in fixing maximum and minimum
prices"
Secs No Need of 1t.
Mr.. Houston said he did not ne
lieve the power to fix prices would
have to be exercised and he did not
think the government should go into
the wholesale business
The secretary said he had no ac-
curate estimate of the grain going
into alcohol except that its value
last year was S145.000,O00.
John II. McSparran, master of
the Pennsylvania grange, said the
government should fix minimum
prices for the farmer; that there
should be statutory prohibition and
that the railroads should be com
PEELED 10 change their methods OF
handling grain.
The department Of labor's boy
mobilization plan contemplates the
establishment of enrolling stations
in every city i'm the country. Boys
from Is TO 70 years old would be
organized in squads under proper
supervision and with adequate
equipment would camp on farms
where their service were needed
during the summer.