Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-10-12
Getting at the Pirates.

Food Administrator Hoover is not
So sure that he is 10 have desired Coz
operation Id his efforts to eliminate
Z prohteeriug in. foods Already his
plans to control bread production ana
distribution are meeting opposition in
different parts OF the country. Yes
terdag at Los Angeles. Cal nine baA-
ing firms ANA as many individuals
were indicted by g jury on charge
Of c0nspicjng to NIX bread prices In
violation of q state a,nti-trust law il
the manufacturers will defy state
statute they viii be equally Indifferent
20 federal regulations, unless there
he hrmness displayed from the jump
MFR Hoover prefers TO he reason
abie ~jth those engaged i'm the bak-
ing Industry. he says He wants them
10 know intimately Ehe lines along
which it. rs his desire that they pro-
coed III order that they give required
assistance 90 the government in ts
project to reduce the cost of living to
the consumer. bread being one af some
twenty commodities whose cost 80 the
user is 10 be fixed bv the government
assurances to thfa effect having been
given Monday hT President Wilson
Mr. Hoover has advices that lead MIN
TO believe that he Is IT'D meet with re
eistance iu some localities. but he is
preparing to curb such situation II
it arises Under the federal license
system the retailer can't be controlled,
but the producer can. Thus, Mr.
Hoover learns, the retailer is 10 con-
tjnue TO impose unfair charges upon
the consumer mfr Hoover proposes,
IN defeating the retailer. to establish
ErsaE Is
viii be sold directly from the baker
les to the depots and from the latter
distributed among consumers at
legitimate profit II is hoped in time
to provide a fve-cenI loaf of bread,
despite that it has been predicted by
the manufacturers that In might be
years before we would again see the
nickel portion.
Along with the regulation of the
baking industry IL Els presumed the
federal food administration viii take
up the priciRg OF the various other
living necessaries enumerated oy the
president in his proclamation this
week We don't have to go outside
Rock Island to get q hint of what we
may expect iu the way of relief il the
food administration proceeds Imyield-
ingiy with the enforcement OF the ar
rangemeut that It has outlined.
Farmers hereab0ut have been de-
manding and getting q much as sI.35
per bushel for potatoes. They have
been guided by prices fixed by the
Chicago brokerage houses, at least one
can arrive at no other conclusion aft
er studying conditions one Rock Is
land county farmer who was asked
the other day if he had potatoes to
sell replied that he had lie was
asked to name h4S price but said he
couldn't then, but would be able to
set it possibly the next day. These
incidents occurred before the DTesi-
dents declaration that the govern
ment was 10 regulate tbe price to
the consumer OF various commodities,
one of which fs potatoes. The Illinois
to hold of laying in their winter sup
plies Of potatoes until the price which
they should pay is made known.
These authoritative announcements
have had a magical effect on the
market Only yesterday an Iowan
who deals extensively i'm potatoes was
canvassing in Rock Island He took
orders for hundreds of bushels at IS
cents lie admitted that the price
would likely fall to SO cents before
the middle Of November He said
there were more potatoes on the
farms than would be consumed by
the people The nation has the power
to alleviate living conditions. and IT
can get results Just the moment that
the fellows who have been Feaping
the unfair harvest understand that
they must cease taking blood money
or suffer the consequences prescribed
nv their government.