The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-04-16
Will Probably Name
Minimum Scale As
War Measure
WOULD HEARTEN
II. S. FARMERS
Such Action Must Be
Taken Soon, Say
Experts
Rp GILsoN GARDNER.


lmum price for staple foods crops
such az wheat corn. potatoes. oats,
etc, can. and probably. will ze fixed
by President Wilson by a simple ex
ecutiye order Il Is not necessary
TO walt for congress rood purchas-
es are within the authority 0f the
president as var expense and
such an order would be backed By
the s. 900 900 900 which congress is
now making available.
To be OF any help the govern.
ments offer 70 underwrite this
years crop must be made before
the seeding time is gone. This
means that il must be made within
the next thirU-fve days. Handled
as an executive matter, an incident
TO the war making power, this can
be done. To wait for congress would
probably be- fatal.
High government officials 10 whom
l have talked say there is no cues
ton as 10 President Wilson's power
TO make this order To buy the
surplus crop-Or 20 offer 20 buy it
is just as necessary now as 20 buy
powder or shot.
The government would not. as
matter OF fact. have 10 take over
any OF thee rops." one Official ex-
planned 1T amounts in fact only
TO Insurance. and like most insur.
ance. the loss does not have 10 be
met. Yet Il would furnish a secur-
ity and an incentive 10 the farmer
that would make him bring into use
every roadside. every railroad right
OF way and every vacant lot
The best authority on agriculture
in Washington is Captain W. s A
Smith. for years expert adviser TO
the department OF agriculture and
now a member OF the Farm Loan
Board Capt. Smith said TO me
This crop matter should not be
made the subject OF patriotic sp-
peal II is a matter OF economies
and should De so treated There Is
no use asking farmers for tne SAKE
OF their country TO- raise crops at
possible. loss, when they can be
indused 10 raise them at 4 reason
Asle profit Let the government
offer 10 buy the crop AZ some ated
price which the farmer can know
and rely on now. and ~ viii BE-
able 10 go TO the bank borrow mon.
ey for seed and perhaps even lease
extra land But without such a.
suranee the farmer goes back 10 hi.
usual reasoning that 40 bushels OF
corn at 20 cents il just as good as
20 bushels az 40 cents And for
him Il IL, and little better because
IL involves less work But 10 Is
bad for the country and the world
bad for the hungry consumer %
have II work out that way.
Can Ne increa esour yield
enough 10 meet the need
| Given the stimulus OF a guaran
teed price We can do things that
never have been suspected
Take millet alone The staple
food In MAnchuria, cofea and mars
parts Of China. he millet 10 can b,
substituted for wheat or mixed with
wheat or used az a stock feed We
can grow two or three crops OF mil
let in a season and raise a. high o.
so bushels 10 the acre But Nh,
farmer will not raise millet unles.
he is assured OF his market
or take the ordinary pea Moth
ing IL more nutritious-notbing 81
better for everyday wholesome die
than peas In Iowa We used q,
raise three crops a season ThsJ
can be grown By the acre dried
run thru a thrashing machine and
they are ready for the winter PEI
soup Is the best OF foods
There Is no use whOopinE b. W
az patriotic duty 70 do thes,
things. n the government vantl
the products, 1t can have them b.
naming the minimum price
That the board Of trade In chi
cago should be closed in tho rec
ommenda tion OF NJ A. Taylor. pres
ident OF the Live Stock E1chanE,
National Bank OF Chicago To -thl
advisory board Of the National AEri
cultural society he has urged tha
in addition 10 fixing minimum
price for 1917 crops the government
stop all speculation In food
The agricultural department
learns hat eggs are now going int,
cold storage at "a cents. which ID
80 per cent higher than last ycai
which broke all previous records
Bacon products have increased d.
cents a pound since the first OF Jan
uary. Beef products are selling ON
basis Of q cents a pound slauEh
tered, which means 20 and A. cents
Cor choice cuts and IS and 80 cents
for the cheap cuts These aIr $50.
cal OF a market which o. riotng In
speculation and Is rapidly approach