South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-10-27
SEC'Y HOUSTON
ANALYZES GRAIN
STANDARDS ACT
Goes Into Details of Law That
Has Been Cause of Much
Complaint From
Farmers.

following important letter by Sees
Houston to W T. Brown. Byers,
Kans
Reference is made 20 a letter
addressed by you under date of
sept. Il 20 the Hon. Joue.t Shouse.
member OF congress, seventh dis
trict. Kansas. in which YOU register
complaint against the United States
grain standards act. You do not
specifically protest against any par
ricular provision or provisions OF tho
act nor do you complain against
the official grain standards of the
United States established there
under.
1T IS believed that the real cause
of any complaint which YOU may
have IS not occasioned by the re-
guirements or the United States
grain standards act. nor the stand
ards fixed and established there
under. but Is due primarily CD TO
a misunderstanding on me part Of
farmers and country grain dealers as
200 the requirements Of the act and
tho federal standards for wheat.
t2b incorrect and arbitrary appli-
cation OF the federal standards on
rhe part OF country buyers, 90 dis
satisfaction on The part Of the
growers with tie actual price fixed
and paid for tie delivery of wheat
or terminal markets.
No Mandatory Assessment.
It has been brought To- the at
IGNITION of the United States Depart
meut OF agriculture from several
sources that in certain parts OF the
country where this years crop Of
wheat is now being moved the
country grain dealers are assessing
yhe farmers a discount against all
wheat purchases. COntending that
such assessment is mandatory by
reason of the official grain stand
ards Of the United States for wheat
under the United States grain
tsndarJs act. Apparently the con-
fentou on the part of the country
Grain dealers Isl based upon the
item 'GoCEage' contained i'm the Of
IciaI standards. From information
received 10y the department il APP
pears Iowcv er. chat the discount is
au actual and arbitrary assessment
"a the interest Oi the buyers and Is
neither ON the Iasis Of the official
taudards nor required nor con-
rampIated 10y the act or the rcgula-
rions hereunder
Dockagc System OF Grading.
The primary purposes ira the
csta blishment Of the official grain
standards of the United States were
TO provide n basis whereby parties
t1 transactions involving the pur-
chase and sale of grain shipped and
delivered for shipment i'm Interstate
and foreign commerce might
through being able TO obtain cor
rect application of such standards.
arrive at the actual value and make
settlement accordingly. These stand
ards for wheat do not provide for
tuy arbitrary assessue ut FOR dock
.ee. They do provide for the de-
examination of the amount of sand.
iir, weed seeds. weed stems. and
certain other matter called dock
age. which actually may be present
Iu lot OF wheat the amount of
winch II equal 20 or in excess of
oue-haIf OF one per cent 10y weight.
Is Co Zee stated in terms of the actual
percentage as "a part of the grade
designation of the wheat. This is
called the dockagC system of grad
ug and haas been used for many
Years iu the northwestern states
prior 90 the adoption of the official
standards. The transactions i'm ques-
zion appear Go ne purely local. not
involving Interstate commerce. and
are perhaps conducted I'm a way not
Within the prohibitions of the act
Nevertheless. the department IS in
restisatiug the matter, and will be
-laG 90 have any facts which may
be ~ value 10 will do everything
I'm It's power Co bring about the dis
continuance OF INTERPRETATIONS
based ON the act or the standards
hereunder
Opinion Regarding DOCkagc.
1T must De borne i'm mind that
with the esta bnshmeut of fixed
prices 20 De paid for wheat competi-
tive buviuS has been practically
eliminated This iniects feature
unprecedantei i'm the history OF
graiu marketiug This fact to-
rether With the fact that the Fed
eraI standards for wheat are COM
uaratively new having been in effect
only a few weeks constitutes the
cause o. the a-itatiou and corfu-
sion II is believed that under
existing conditions. mo- matter what
standards. or methods ot grain
aradiue were used. the same dim
cllties would bc met. For your
further information. the opinion of
me department regJrdine dock
axe" ia wheat IS ser forth as tol-
lows.
The official grain standards of
the United states Tor wheat. 'u
force and effect for hard red winter
wheat soft red winter wheat COM
mon white wheat and white club
wheat. on and after July - 1917.
and. for aU other wheat on ard ar
Ter August 3. 1917. as set forth ir
service and regulatory announce
ments. markets SO. o. include ia
part. an item FOR Gociase Thi- item
is found under section as fol-
lows:
Section g Dockage.-Dockase