The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-08-16
HOOVER MADE FOOD MAN.

The formal announcement of the
appointment of Herbert, Hoover as
food administrator under the new
food legislation was given at the
, White House Saturday. Mr.. Hoover
made immediately statement out.
lining the governments purpose:
"The hopes of the food admins
tration are threefold:
''FTst-So to guide the trade in
the fundamental food commodities
as to eliminate vicious speculation,
extortion and wasteful practices and
to stabilize prices in the essential
staples.
"Second-To guard, our exports
so that, against the worlds shortage,
we retain sufficient supplies for our
own people and to cooperate with
the allies to prevent initiation OF
prices; and
"Third-That we stimulate in
every manner within our power the
saving of our food in order that we
may increase exports to our allies to
a point which will enable them prop
erly to provision their armies and
feed their peoples the coming win
ter
The food administration is called
into being to stabilize, not to disturb
conditions and to defend honest en-
terprise against illegitimate competi-
ton, it has been devised to correct
the abnormalities and abuses that
have crept into trade by reason Of
the world disturbances and to restore
business as far as may be to rea-
sonable basis.
The business men of this country,
/ am convinced, as a result of many
hundreds of conferences with repre-
sentatives of the great forces Of food
supply realize their own patriotic
obligation and the solemnity of the
situation and will fairly and gener-
ously cooperate in meeting the ma
tional emergency. / do not believe
that drastic forces need be applied
to maintain economic distribution
and sane use of supplies by the great
majority of American people, and !
have learned a deep and abiding
faith in the intelligence of the aver
age American business man, whose
aid we depend on to remedy evils de-
veloped by the war which he admits
and deplores as deeply as ourselves.
But, if there be those who expect to
exploit this hour of sacrifice, if there
are men, or organizations, scheming
to increase the trials of this coun-
try, we shall not hesitate to apply
fully the drastic, ceorcive powers
that congress has conferred on us.
In enforcing the measures of the
act it is not our intention to proceed
with host of punitive measures, but
rather, by coordination with vari-
ious trades, effect such constructive
regulations as will render gambling,
extortion and other wasteful prac-
tees impossible and still stabilize
prices. Indulgence in profiteering
in this hour of national danger is far
from the wish or the will of the vast
majority of our business people and
/ am convinced that while we must
have ready in reserve the corrective
powers free the great majority from
necessity to compete with operators
whole sole effort is to initiate prices
and bring into disrepute the major
ity of honest traders. We propose
to proceed as rapidly as possible
with constructive regulation in varj-
Gus commodities and to announce
each program as quickly as II it rrop-
erly formulated. We hope within
the next few days TO announce the
method of wheat and flour control
The deep obligation is unon us TO
feed the armies and the peoples asso-
ciated with us in this STRUGGLE. The
diversion of 40,000,000 of their men