New-York tribune., 1917-12-04
Cereal To Be Allies MOI
Potent Weapon in 1918.
He Declares
Constitutes One-Half
Of Country's Supply
Administrator Believes New
Crop Will Force Down
Prices on Other Staples

lhS the complex 1000 problem Of "a.
United States and our allies durinr a.
coming year Corn. native cereal =,
America. promises 10 be one Of ..
most potent weapons in the hand, a,
the Allies and the Kaiser's war.
enemy throughout the fourth and :,
least part of the fifth year Of wo,li
conflict, # the war continues that ls,,
This was the opinion expressed y.,.
terday by Herbert C.. Hoover. Nato,,l
Food Administrator, on his visit 10 Nsx
York City. Mr. Hoover came 20 disev,,
and plan the work Of the newly orr,,.
ized Federal Food Board, which /, I.
control the situation In New YORK ci.y
Having formally set the Federal Pood
Board into action, Mr. Hoover took o..
casion to anoint and crown corn a
monarch Of all the food staples Of n,
United States. The coronation o,.
mony was informal, ard took plse, ia
the course Of an interview with nsx,.
paper men at the Hotel Biltmore.
No Price Reductions.
Mr.. Hoover said he did not belisy,
there would be any sudden price redue.
tions; nor did he believe there could
be much use in price fixing for con.
modities anless there could be legisl..
tion for general price control. with snpl.
powers for enforcement invested in ths
Food Administration. There was a big
surplus OF food in the country, ne SAID,
the only problem being that OF getting
the surplus over TO our allies.
Mr.. Hoover said the food adminis.rs.
tion was investigating complaints
against several food dealers tha, came
under the Federal license act, and the.
men would lose their licenses II ID,
complaints proved true. Several si
the men being Investigated are N,s
York merchants.
There is one general fact that tie
American people have never rseog.
nized," said Mr.. Hoover, "namely. that
corn constitutes about one-half Of the
normal food supply Of the country,
either directly or indirectly. We con
sumo il in beef, pork, milk and bread
stufs, and the prices OF some OF or
most necessary commodities reflect ths
abundance or shortage OF this cereal
1--WE have had practical corn IAN
inc dr ring the last three months. dss
TO our heavy export and the shortage
Of last years crop. We see the eohse.,
auerce in the prices Of meat, mix ana
porS.
This year the United States has pro,
duced a record crop Of corn, estimates
az $500, 100000 bushels. The crop y
about four weeks late, and II Is nov
being gathered, but II takes some ums
for the kernels 70 mature and nafa'n.
The benefits of the corn harvest sfs
further delayed by car shortage, u.
the crop should be moving ireeiy "
the middle of January. and we saou's
then see the effect Of this great 1901
supply in prices Of milk and meat
Price Broke Record i,
Mr. Hoover said that never N "'
history of the United states had cor.
commanded a price higher thar ~aes. .
till this year. When wheat was senlhs
AT the record price Of 81 a busnei COR
VAS $3.50. This unprecedented pI'es'
be declared. accounted for our shor'zEs ns,
in hogs There are between s'OVV'WY
and 1000. 900 less hogs IN the eounul
,bis year than last, Mr. Hoover s'Ales'
Mix producers. Mr. Hoover ' -.
vould be more approachable on ~.
subject OF lowering their prices W. ~
they could buy corn ana 0'h''
stuffs cheaper. 49, cana.
try" Mr.. Hoover continued. .i~.
the food problem IS one OF up. ~
not deficit. 1t is a question OF "s w.
much we can send 20 our aliiea ~
are short on some things, sucn as p..i
ana wheat. We have already expot''y,
very bushel of our surplus "neaI
sunrose we have exported between w.
00e o0O and 10000, 200 bushels. we sN
now using 20 per cent less wheat ''''
normally.
Flour Price Reduced
"Arthough the farmer is getting =, :,
a bushel for his wheat, the pries !"
flour to-day Is less than a year ay0i B..
Mr.. Hooyer's attention was eaje' a,
q nublic statement made oy =, =
Townley. president Of the Non,rafu'
san League. that -four kings OF hihss'
apolis were reOping enormous 'o"
"ThAt is not So" said Mr hoo'..
"Millers are getting on the ayeIss'
% cents profit or every barrel oi TO-"
A barrel of -four weighs 1876 poUnos.
What is the food admlnistlS..11ss Ia
going 70 do with the retail deSiens w.
are exacting war profits = NJ n0'''
"Tbat is a deeply involved problem,
Mr.. Hoover replied. "Our only ne'i. !.
for regulating small retail dealers =
nitiless publicity. The food adm
tration has no control over P,'ss,ii ssi
There is no provision in the 1000 ~. Dm
for nriee fixing. But by making "
Of the embargo and by exercising "
RIGHT 70 purchase wheat and een.J
other commodities for our army
navy and for our allies the go'.l
ment has found IL possible 20 eon''''
wholesale prices 70 some eNte'''
Not to Pick on Retailers
"We cannot fix retail prices on ''Yi
commodities unless We hx prices
along the line. 1t is not fair 10 o.ss, ~
the retailer 20 sell his wares ~ eu
nrices II we do not also fix p'iss' '"
what he has 10 buy. is,s
III the war continues for ,,i
period. either prices must be resn ssn.
bv law or we shall encounter h
slant wage increase to keep W p,ssla
the higher cost Of living. We snsIs ,ss,
cboose the lesser OF the two eyi's -, y
irving irving to stop the increase in u. e. =
Of s living, which can only be q, gone .,,.. x
regulating the prices Of all the s''"
This issue has been faced by ~ sss ~
European belligeren,s, all ~ =. ~
r a.sst MN