Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-05-29
WILL CONTROL FOOD
PRESIDENT WILSON NAMES
HOOVER TO HEAD BODY
GIVEN WIDE POWERS.
WILL SERVE WITHOUT PAY
New Official Will Have Authority Dis
tInct From That Of Department
Of Agriculture-Busine Men
on Board.

Washington, May 22.-President
Wilson has asked Herbert C. Hoover.
the American director of Belgian re-
lief, to undertake the emergency food
administration Of the country during
the war. Mr.. Hoover has accepted on
condition that he may serve the nation
without compensation.
The presidents statement In part is
as follows
1T is very desirable In order to pre-
vent misunderstanding or alarms and
to assure cooperation in vital matter
that the country should understand
exactly the scope and purpose of the
very great powers which I have
thought it necessary in the circum-
stances to ask the congress to put in
my hands with regard to our food sup
plies.
Those powers are very great in
deed. They are intended to benefit
| and assist the farmer and all those
who play legitimate part in the prep
aration, distribution and marketing of
foodstuffs.
"All measures intended directly to
extend the normal activities of the de-
partment of agriculture, in reference
to the production, conservation and the
marketing of farm crops, will be adj
ministered, as in normal times, through
that department, and the powers asked
Tor overdiStribution and consumption,
over exports, imports, prices, purchase
and requiSitiOn of commodities, storing
and the like which may require regu-
lation during the war will be placed in
the hands of a commissioner of food
administration appointed by the presi-
dent and directly responsible to him.
1.-THE objects sought to be served by
the legislation asked for are: Full in
quiry into the existing available stocks
Of foodstuffs and into the costs and
practices of the various food-producing
and distributing trades; the prevention
of an unwarranted boarding Of every
kind and of the control of the food
stutfs by persons who are not in any
legitimate sense producers, dealers or
traders; the requisitioning when nee
essary for the public use of food sup
plies and of the equipment necessary
for handling them properly the licens-
ing of wholesome and legitimate mix
lures and milling percentages, and the
prohibition Of the unnecessary or
wasteful use of foods.
Authority is also asked to estab-
fish prices-but not in order to limit
the profits of the farmers, but only
to guarantee to them when necessary
a minimum price which will insure
them profit where they are asked to
attend new crops, and to secure the
consumer against extortion by break
ing up, corners and attempts at specu-
lation when they occur by fixing tenn
porarily a reasonable price at which
middlemen must sell.
II have asked Mr.. Hoover to I'M
dertake this all-important task of food
administration. He has expressed his
willingness to do so on condition that
he is to receive no payment for his
services.
Although it is absolutely necessary
that unquestionable powers shall be
placed in my hands in order to insure
the success of this administration of
the food supplies Of the country, am
confident that the exercise of those
powers will be necessary only In the
few cases where some small and sell
fish minority proves unwilling to put
the nations interests above personal
advantage.
1.-THE proposed food administration
Is intended, of course, only to meet a
manifest emergency and to continue
only while the war lasts. Since it will
be composed for the most part of vol
unteers there need be no fear Of the
possibility Of permanent bureaucracy
arising out of it."