The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-21


What he desires to accomplish is to
protect the people against what he
termed ''the small minority of skunks"
responsible for imitation of food
prices.
Two Purposes of Food Control.
The nation needs food control, Mr..
Hoover asserted, for two purposes
ITO regulate prices and to increase
the surplus. After providing our
normal consumption we will have, to-
gether with Canada, a surplus for our
allies equal to only so per cent of the
food they require from us. IL we take
broad measures of control we can,
with as little disturbance to economic
machinery as need be, furnish them
an additional 20 per cent. Their loaf
even then will be a privation loaf,
and every ounce we can put in 1t will
diminish their privation."
But Mr.. Hoover adds: IF the
whole world, allied and neutral, is to
have the unrestricted run of our mar
kets in competition with each other
and in competition with the specu-
lator in this country, we may expect
to see IS wheat before the year is
over.
No Arbitrary Interference.
Large measures of food control do
not mean arbitrary interference with
the necessary economic machinery of
trade. They mean that every branch
be called in by the government and
forge themselves into a link from
which the contemplated chain will
protect producers, legitimate dis
tributor and consumer.
Il have no hesitation in saying that
If the able, patriotic men represent
ing the majority of each branch of the
food trades were clothed with the
necessary powers to force the small
minority of skunks that exist in every
trade, one result would be that an
equally nutritious flour based on even
$3.50 wheat could be sold in New York
for q good deal under So per barrel,
and every trade would receive it's
legitimate profit. Without control we
may see $40 flour before the year is
out and total dislocation- of wages
and consequent dislocation of industry
and living"
Four Great Branches.
"My present view is to divide the
food administration into four great
branches:
in the first branch we should set up
a certain number of separate executive
bodies for regulation and administra-
ton of certain critical commodities,
and these should be organized on the
tions, with a board of directors, presi-
dent and executive officers, who will
work out problems involved in these
commodities and will institute such
measures as may be necessary to
stabilize prices and distribution, and
these bodies should be constituted of
the leaders of the country, producers,
distributors, bankers and consumers
alike"
The second branch, he said, lies in
the governors and state administra-
tons to act on local problems in CO.
operation with the national admins
tration; using powers against illegiti-
mate boarding which congress has
been asked to supply and to stop waste
in public places. Domestic economy
is the third branch and for the solu-
ton Of this he said he would shortly
appeal to the women of the country
inasmuch as 80 per cent of the food
consumption is in their heads.
People Need Not Starve.
I'VE do not ask that the American
people should starVe themselves, but
that they should eat plenty, wisely and
without waste Mr.. Hoover said.
Cooperation with allies of the Unit
ed States in control of exports and i'm
ports must be the fourth branch, he
said. Along these lines, he thinks,
with voluntary service from all con-
cerned, food problems could adequate
ly be solved.
81 recognize the difficulties and pos
sibilities of failure in this work"
Hoover declared, land l appeal to the
patriotism of my countrymen for their
support. ! have no instinct to be a.
food dictator. My ambition is to see
my own people solve their own prob
lens. These men and women who cam
not serve in the trenches or the shops
can show their patriotism in no way
SO fully as in this service and l feel
that we have as much right to call up
on them to serve in this administra-
ton as we have a right to call upon
our men to serve in the trenches"