The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-08-17
STABLE WHEAT
PRICE ASSURED


The food administration has an
nounced its plan for controlling wheat,
-four and bread, revealing that the
Government is prepared to take over
the whole 1917 wheat haryests If ne
cessary to conserve the supply, obtain
just price for Americas fighting force
and their allies and reduce costs to the
general public in the United States
The statement says: 1t must be clear
" understood that the guaranteed min
imum price Of "a per bushel for wheat,
set out in the food bill does not apply
to the 1917 harvest, but only to the
1918 harvest, and then under conditions
which must be elaborated.
There is. therefore, 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
cient Government action is brought in
to play, either: a., The American pro-
ducer may face slump in wheat, pos
sibly below his production cost, and
b. the export Of wheat which ultimat-
ely determines the real price, is at the
will Of a single agency; c. someone
must buy the surplus wheat at any
| given moment. and if the surplus pass
es into speculative hands it will be
held for higher prices later in the year;
d. with stabilized prices, extra hazards
are introduced into all distribution
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.
Therefore. the food administration
has determined to take the following
course:
First-In order to eliminate specul-
alton in wheat and flour, all elevators
and mills over 100 barrels daily capa-
city win be required to take out a
Government license, and the condition
of this license to be:
That only reasonable and customary
charges shall be made Tor warehouse
service; that no wheat shall be stored
| for more than 80 days without the ap-
proval Of the food administration
that certain information as to receipts
and shipments shall be supplied regu-
larly.
The grain exchanges are being ask
ed to suspend all dealings and quota
tions in future wheat, These regula-
tions will come into force September
], and the licenses will be prepared
this week.
While farmers, cooperative eleva-
tors are excepted by the food bill, this,
however, only applies to mutual con-
Germs and not to stock companies, and,
in any event, under the advantages OF
joining the plan none are likely to
STAND OUT.
an SUBSTITUTION o. sle broken uowh
marketlhg macninery, me 1000 somin'
is'ra.lon proposes . open agsncles lci
tne purcnase u an wnea' az 'he primer
pai .erlliaiS' carrying VI '.s Trans,
acIlons WIN .ne usual ueaiers, anu !, !,
plepareu " saHs ny whoie narsest ! !.
ne.essaty " oluei ~ maintain u !,
price. anu WI, III; resell wnea. ior expo 3
- SUCH quan.'''es ~ Me can anoru =
part WIN ~ procession q our owl
people on vne ianu, any y SCI " rs
o1ner 20 .ne mi milisls Ior oomestis !,
consump''on. nc au.nlnIslra.ion VII
mase NJ ela.ss eAssp. M Nominal PET
cen1age - eosel oos'v :,' " 'ne opera.'on
anu arianseiasl's .sa W. - naue wnlcl as !
WIN assure 'ue uoseinhehs aea'hs
'oss' /.
~ oiusr 'nas a sa nvsn.l,s aaa.; sns,, 0e .sl