The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-05-10
Relpian Commissioner Out
lines Conservation as Prac-
ticed Abroad.
ADMINISTRATION FOOD
BILL IS UP IN HOUSE
Prompt Enactment Declared
to BE Vital to Successful
Conduct of War.

Washington, May 9.--llerbert c.
Hoover reported to President Wilson
on food conditions abroad and pre-
scnted the allies estimates Of their
food requirements from America dur
ing the coming year. At an hours
he reviewed the situation in
detail. outlining measures foreign gov
rrnmcnts have taken to conserve their
supply.
ON his departure from the White
House. Mr.. Hoover was asked If he
would accept IA position as food dcta-
tor ii one were created.
II don't want to be food dictator for
the American people, he replied. The
man who accepts such position will
Gle on the barbcd wire of the first line
cntrcnchmeuts."
Before the senate agriculture COM
mittee during the day Mr.. Hoover
urged that a central food department
be established. He advocated price
fixing bills approved by the admins
tratlon as a means of ending spccula-
ton and argued for prohibition as n
war measure.
Debate Administration Food Bill.
Tho first of the administrations
food bills was debated In the house
today. Chairman Lever of the agricul'
turc committee presenting the mcasnr,
I,i
enactment Is vital to successful con
duct of the war. Several members
from the food producing parts OF th'
country attacked the bill as giving too
much power to the government, Rep
rcscntativc Graham of Pennsylvania
ohiccting particularly to provisions
empowering the secretary of agricul-
turc to send his agents into places o
business to obtain information.
zone reasons for this provision.
Representative Lenroot Of Wisconsin
replied. lis TO prevent speculation. This
will permit the agriculture department
to get information necessary FOR thai
purpose"
The bill was laid aside for consid.
Grafton of the revenue bill tomorrow
but Mr.. Lever announced that he woult
ask that it be taken up as soon as th
| revenue measure is out of tho way.
Despite the poor outlook for winte
| wheat, the department of agriculture
hopes the country will produce IA sur
plus for export to the allies by grow
| ing a great spring crop.
Secretary Houston said today tn
country would DO unable to keep NJ
It's vast exports Of the last few years
but that the department saw nothin!
alarming in the situation IL sprinl
wheat does we'll.
| Outlook Not Discouraging.
I'VE believe" he said there will h
a great spring crop and great crop
of other grain and other foodstuits
There IL now enough wheat in tn
United States and Canada to suppl
our normal needs until the new crop i
at hand in July and still leave 100000,
| 900 bushels for export. Considering
| that fact and a probable big increase II
spring acreage, there is no cause 70
IcXcitemcnt.
| "Stiil the situation is graV", 1t do"
| look as If VIC will not have as muc
for cxpor, as in the last two or thrc
years
| "Nratlrr conditions appear to b
good for spring wheat. Thcr" has bee
plenty of moisture. The conditions ap
pear good. too, for corn
| The agriculture department is start
| ing "a campaign for conservation of tn
wheat supply through wider use {
uses corn, cats nov less than fotJ
| bushels of wheat per capita annual,
| while Minnesota and other northwest
srn states. which use no corn for foo
eat more than seven bushels of whea
American milling laws prohibit tt
use of mixed flour. Officials Of the d,
partment hop. to save much wheat /
changing milling rcguq4 ions as 500
as given power under the food bills.
Cold storage reports made public Il
| dtS ny wv h'l'hi lfii'ht @iio" WAT ~
holdings of cold storage eggs in 3!
places Of business increased from ia
900 cases on April l to l,S45.000 {
May I. Stocks were less by - p
cent. however, than on May ! last yea
Butter stocks increased during the We;
ending May l about ia per cen
, cheese stocks decreased per cen
lapple stocks decreased SO per cent.