The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-05-22
WANTS THE AUTHORITY TO
SMASH POSSIBLE CORNERS
Believes That Action Win Be Nec-
essary Only IN Few Cases
Where Selfish Men Take Ad-
vantage Of Existing Situation
CAnaoeiated Press BY .. 8. Naval ccmmu-
nicatlon service)

w order that seIfishness.
may be summary dealt with
should 1t appear in connection
with the food supply Of the coun-
try, the President states that It
is absolutely necessary that the
supreme control over the produce
tion and distribution Of food be
placed in the hands Of the adj
ministration. Corners may be at
tempted that it will be necessary
to smash and there may be in
some quarters attempts to take
advantage Of the situation to
reap undue profits, which at
tempts there must be some ade-
quate power to suppress without
delays.
The President issued a state
ment last night in which he out
lined bis food control program at
length backing up the admins
tration bill now before congress,
which the President asks be
passed without delay. II is not
the intention Of the administra-
ton to restrain or interfere with
the normal processes Of produc-
ton and distribution Of food stuff,
nor are the powers asked of con-
gress by the administration
greater than those along the
same line which the parIiaments
Of the other Powers at war have
reposed in their executives.
although | believe that it is
absolutely necessary that abso.
lutte powers be placed in my
hands in this matter, | am conf
dent that ! will have to exercise
those arbitrary powers only in a
few cases. said the President.
There may be some few cases
where Il will be necessary TO act,
such as where some small and
selfish minority proves unwilling
to put the interest Of the nation
at large ahead Of their own pri-
vate interests and personal adj
vantageS.
1.-THE powers which am asking con.
gress to bestow upon me are intended
TO benefit and assist the farmers and
others who are taking legitimate part
IN the preparation of food for the ma.
tion and for our allies and for the bene.
~ of those who are legitimately dis,
tribnting and marketing these food
products.
s'sone Of the objects of the legisla.
tiOn is TO enable the administration
TO conduct fun inquiry into the exist
ing and available stocks of food, and
into the matter Of costs of production
and distributing OF the food staples
IN order that there may be methods de
visea Of preventing the unwarranted
holding back of supplies in order to
create corners aud reap Legitimate
profits. Yts
One of the main objects of this
investigation nnder the proposed law
Is 70 enable the administration to
have knowledge which win Justify the
requistioning Of supplies where such
is necessary Ia the public interest.
''rhe authority asked to fix prices
Is not asked with the idea Of limiting
he viofts which may be properly
made by the farmers Of the nation, but
as guarantee that whenever il is
found necessary to fix and proclaim d
minimum price 1t will be 50 fixed as
70 guarantee a fair profit and to SO fix
the prices that farmers will be guaran.
teed a profit when they are asked to
attempt the growing Of some new
crop. The power Of price fixing will
also guarantee the consumer against
extortion through the breaking OF any
! attempted corners in necessities and
70 protect the purchasers against any
price rnisipc due 10 speculation.
The President announced that he had
asked Herbert Q. Hoover to head the
g. 81 p. d.. IL.