Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-07
Fixing of Wheat Prices
Thrust Upon Admin
istratiOn But Meat
Situation Such That
High Price to Pro-
ducers Guaranteed
for Many Years Says
Hoover Legislation
Unwise and Impos-
sible

Washington. Sept e.-Price fixing
for meat and dairy products has no
place in the governments food con-
troll plans, Herbert Hoover, the food
administrator, today told the National
Live Stock conference Not only would
it be inadvisable to institute price fix
but the food administration has been
given no such power AS long as there
is a heavy demand for meat with q
decreased prediction, Mr.. Hoover said,
meat prices will continue to soar. The
hope of the food administration is
that it can stabilize quotations and
thus eliminate speculation.
To Increase Production
Il cannot believe there is a panacea
Tor food situation of this kind said
MI Hoover. Our problem is to in
crease production. The best we may
expect is a slow development toward
the ends we seek. Drastic control of
packing plants with government op-
GRAFTON an alternative will not work
Wa Il
through the cooperation of all inter-
ests concerned.
There is no power in the food bill to
flx prices and we never have asked
that power, Everywhere in Europe
price flxing-that is the naming OF
maximum prices-has failed. We had
the fixing of wheat prices thrust upon
US, as 1t is our duty to purchase 30
per cent of the crop for export and
we had the wheat committee name a
price as a guarantee to producers and
to stop speculation.
High Price to Producers
THE meat situation is such that
high price to producers is guaranteed
for many years. If war were to end
suddenly or If the submarines were to
he overcome, however. great stores of
wheat would be released in Argentine.
Australia and India and the bottom
would have dropped out of the market
in this country. Those three nations
will have on hand soon enough wheat
to feed the world, but ships cannot be
had to transport II.
Beef and pork present different situa-
tons. We export a small amount of beef.
relatively, but now we are over-exportine
pork and II may become necessary IN
take measures to keep A proper relation
between the price of corn and hogs. We
want your advice as to how this may be
done.
There is nothing that can be done to
stop the rise in meat prices IL the short
age continues. but IL we stabilize prices
the rise will move at a continuous level
Producers must have a price that will
! stimulate production and must get that
price, though there can be no government
guarantee and I see no way to bring
about voluntary agreement as to tho
prices that should be paid.
II doubt II legislation to guarantee pro
i
lieve it impossible to achieve this
CentraIizing Allied Purchasing
A general discussion that followed Mr..
Hoover's address developed that many at
tending the conference believed that pres
ent prices might be stabilized to some
extent by centralizing the allied purchas-
ing. The food administration acting as
the allied food purchasing agent. not only
will buy for the European governments.
but through them for the civilian popu-
lations as we'll
Walter L. Fisher, former secretary Of
the interior, said the allied purchasing
necessarily would affect American food
markets, and that its control would In
large measure give the food adn1inistra-
ton control Of meat prices.