The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-02

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
TOpeka Business Men Talk
Frankly ON Situation.
Every Angle Brought. Out in
Board of Trade Session.
DIFFERENT VIEWS ON CRISIS
President YOder Says There's
No Demand for U. S. Control.
Produce Men and Bankers Join
in an Open Forum.
| DIFFERENT VIEWS ON CRISIS

ficiats, newspapermen ana members
of me board of trade, discussed food
shortage, food conservation and gov
eminent food control from every an
gle sTuesday evening at the regular
monthly meeting of the Topeka Board
of Tfade at the Elks' club. Henry D.
Yoder, president of tine board Of trade,
presided.
Nh. Yoder explained the gravity of
thefsituation and explained that rep
reseptative men of industries and in
sti.utions most directly affected by
the Hood situation, the men who must
be On the firing line and must bear
thct-brunt of any action taken had
been invited in for a free-forall dis
custom of the situation facing the
country. Speeches were made by Hen
~ ID. Yoder and E. J. Smiley, repre-
senHng the board of trade; George
c. Bowman and J. f. Haskell. rep
reseDting produce men; J. c. Mohler.
aecrstary Of state board of agriculture:
j. III Tredway, LaHarpe, farmer and
PRECEDENT state board of agriculture;
Haroid T.. Chase, Topeka Daily Capt.
tai q Frank =. MacLennan, Topeka
STAG Journal; David Bowie and David
G. Page. elevator men; S. E. Cobb,
barker; w o. Anderson, commission
man b. c. Christopher. member Kan
sas City board of trade.
y No Occasion for Alarm.
1OueI ueCIdIeQ there Is no Oc-
CASTOR for alarm or a cry for govern
. msM control of food supplies and
prices He pointed out that soon
England and France will be better
prepared to import wheat from Aus
traltR and India, which for some time
past, has been neglected, but which Of
Ter surplus of very large crops.
With modified army, America
has no more people to feed than if en-
gaded in peaceful pursuits said Mr..
Hodfr The agitation for govern
meAt control and distribution of the
fooa supply of the United States and
canada has unfortunately been per-
meafed with much MISUNDERSTANDING
nan truth. transformation, tending
to excite the mind of the public, fear
of lack in present stock supplies,
shortage in new crops, and stimulating
export demand. The first effect has
been to incite thrifty people to buy
UNUSUAL quantities and hoard the food,
at p very inopportune time when
stocks are lowest, with new crops soon
available.
The spasm of political activity at
Washington, designing to control
prices and distribution of food sup
piles, is manifestly not predicated on
a clear understanding or survey of the
present situation, or similar expert
ments abroad. Furthermore, it re-
1leets the popular, nevertheless erron-
eo9s belief, that grain and live stock
exchanges have no legitimate or use
fuldunctions to perform. in the great
andsvery essential business of market
ingsthe staple foods of the white
RACES, cereals. flour, meal and meat
pr9ducts."
Farmers Handicaps.
u c. Mohler deplored the fact that
farmers always had been handicapped
by having no say-so as to how much
they should receive for their products.
Heet auded the work done by co-opera-
tive elevators established by farmers
WHICH, he declared, had aided the
farmers to a great extent.
laying aside patriotism - said Mr.
Monler. self interest will do the most
to induce the farmer to conserve by
cutivating every acre of available
Lard"
F. Haskell. vice president and
geHeral manager of the Beatrice
CrSmery company. predicted that the
goYkrnment would take some action
to Regulate prices. He urged that the
acton be taken Immediately so pro-
duee men could take steps to prepare
forethe coming crops.
High prices" said Mr.. Haskell, "are
theegreatest inducements to increased
production. The farmers must receive
good prices to encourage food produc-
tioE,"
Fewer Eggs Stored Now
George c. Bowman, of the Seymour
Packing company defended the pro-
duee men, quoting figures to indicate
thel eggs stored IN big trade centers
weFe less this month than in the same
mqnth year ago. He also quoted
Figures TO prove that no great differ
ence existed in the price paid to farm
erssfor eggs and the price eggs are sold
to Consumers by the produce men.
+. Cobb, vice president of the
BaHk of Topeka, didn't hold such an
CpHfnistic view of a plentiful supply
of food products as a number of speak
ersA He pointed to the fact that the
high prices of a year ago tempted the
producers to sell large percentages of
their produce and that high prices
would prevail and food shortage was
imminent.
Bankers" said Mr.. Cobb ARE pre-
paring to furnish money where it will
do the most good"
= Shortage of Farm Help.
Shortage of farm help is Gripping
thu farmer in his effort to avert q
food shortage by cultivation of every
available acre, J.. T. Tredway of La
Harpe, told his audience. High price:
paid for other work made the en-
ployment of farm labor almost pro.
hibftive, he declared.
II see by the papers they are advo
eating closing of colleges and higl
schools and placing the young men OF
thesfarms," said Mr.. Tredway. "Thos'
mon following a cultivator in the corr
field are liable to do as much harm
as ethey do good"
Defends Commission Men.
". o. Anderson, commission mer
chant, declared that the commission
man, the same as the farmer had NJ
power to fix prices received for hi
goods He declared that they Otter
lost money by having an over suppl,
of goods and deplored the fact tina
mil hRRn
"ttaitors" by newspapers Thruou
the evening. various speakers haC
spoken rather disparagingly of arti
Giles appearing in newspapers. declar
ing many of them untrue and havint
arrhnfiammatory effect on the public
mifRd
E.J. Smiley. secretary of the Kan