Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-08-17
SEIZE ALL HARVEST
GOVERNMENT PLAN
JUST PRICES OF FLOUR AND
BREAD AIMS OF PLAN TO
LOWER FOOD COST.
SHUT OFF STOCK GAMBL eRS
Expect to Wipe Out Speculation BY
Licenses to Eievators-Prohjbit
The Hoarding Of Wheat-ro
Meet Wage Scale.

Washington.-The food administra.
ton announces its plan for controlling
wheat, flour and bread, revealing that
the government is prepared to take
over the whole 1917 harvest II neces.
sary to conserve the supply, obtain
Just prices for Americas fighting
forces and their allies, and reduce
costs to the general public in the Uni
ted States.
establishing Of buying agencies at
all the principal terminals, licensing
OF elevators and mills, fixing Of prices
to be considered fair; regulation Of
the middleman and Of grain exchanges
with the elimination of trading in fu-
lures. are the chief features of the
plan. The licensing will begin Sep
TENDER l.
viii Control 1917 Wheat Crop.
The minimum price of 50 for wheat
fixed by congress does not become ef-
fective until next year, but the admin.
1stratlon proposes to exercise a very
thorough control over this years crop
through powers conferred under the
food and export control bills.
Following is the administra tion's
announcement:
1.-THE disturbance to the worlds
commerce and short supplies have
caused greater disruption of the nor
NAL markets for wheat than any other
cereal.
Il. As result OF the isolation of
certain of the worlds wheat produc-
ing countries by either belligerent
lines or short shipping the normal de-
termination of the price of wheat by
the ebb and flow of commerce is total
ly destroyed.
Course Of Commerce Abnormal.
20. In order to control speculation
and to secure more equitable distribu-
ton of the available wheat and flour
between their countries, the allied
governments have placed the whole
purchase of their supplies in hands
of one buyer. Also the European neu-
trails are buying their wheat through
single government agents instead of
in the normal course of commerce.
Therefore, the export price. of wheat
and flour and thus the eral price, if
not controlled, will be subject to al
most single will of the foreign pur-
chaser.
SO. In normal times the American
wheat moves largely to Europe in the
fall months. This year the shortage
of shipping nccessitates it's distribu-
ton over the entire year. Therefore,
there is danger of a glut in our ware
house system over a considerable pc
riod.
Demoralized Market Possible.
a. There are large stocks of wheat
VIII i can Lot be drawn upon by the
allies during he war, but in the event
of lace o, aefeat of the submarines,
these YOU'D be available and might
seriously demoralize the demand for
American wheat.
IS. 1t must be clearly understood
that the guaranteed minimum price of
50 per bushel for wheat, set out in
the food bill, does not apply to the
1917 harvest, but only to the 1918 har-
vest, and then under conditions that
must be elaborated. There is there
fore no determined price for the 1917
harvest.
THE result of this situation is that
the normal price-making machinery is
entirely broken down unless some eff
ficient government action is brought
into play, either,
"(a) the American producer may
face slump in wheat, possibly below
his production cost, and
"(b) the export price of wheat that
ultimately determines the real price,
it at the will of a single agency.
"(c) Some one might buy the sur
plus wheat at any given moment and
II the surplus passes into speculative
hands it will be held for higher prices
later in the year.
"(d) Without stabilized prices ex-
ira hazards are introduced into all dis
tribution links, which must be paid
for by the consumer.
1T must be evident that the United
States government can more justly
deal with the situation than any of
the agencies mentioned.
To Control by License.
Therefore, the food administration
has determined to take the following
course:
First. In order to eliminate specu-
lation in wheat and flour all elevators
and mills over 100 barrels daily capa-
city will be required to take out a
government license, and the condi-
tions of this license to be:
THAT only reasonable and custom
airy charges shall be made for ware
house service, that no wheat shall be
stored for more than 80 days without
the approval of the food administra-