Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-24

and elsewhere to prevent losses OF use
full food crops which occur through
insufficient supplies of cans and con-
tainers to meet the requirements.
(5) Safeguarding of seed stocks for
1915 in case untoward climatic or 9TH
er conditions affecting important crops
make such action necessary In re-
stricted regions. It would be i'm
practicable to undertake to supply seed
| in a nation wide way for all or any OF
the great staple crops. The most that
could be done in any event through
Government agencies would be to sup
ply seed in restricted areas where seri-
Gus emergencies have presented them
selves. If the Congress should provide
an emergency fund, the secretary
should be authorized to furnish. in a
limited way, relief as indicated. and, If
deemed advisable, to take steps to 10
cate, secure, and store for next year
good seed for at least a portion of GER
tain staple crops. Such seed wouio
not be furnished free but at cost, and
any funds expended for this purpose
would, in large part~be returned to the
| Treasury.
Distribution.
The plans outlined involve problems
of food production only. No less i'm
portant than increased production IS
the establishment of satisfactory and
efficient arrangements for distrlbutlon.
The producer of foodstufrs is emitted
to assurances that the channels OF dis
tribution will be open and tnat 1ree'
competitive, and manipulated mar
ket will exist, and the uneconomlc
speculation will be either controlled or
prevented. TO meet this situation the
Department of Agriculture should be
given the following authority and
power:
u To make complete survey OF
the food supply of the nation, with
view to secure full information as 10
its location, ownership, and where 1T is
needed, and complete knowledge as to
! the instrumentalities and agencies that
own, control, manufacture, and dis
tribute food products.
ca After investigation, and In CO.
operation with the trade interests in
Nolved, to establish market grades and
classes of farm products, including
seeds, and standards for receptacles Tor
such products, together with authority
. { 10 eject d SullIUlC dSSASS "a
vision Of their application through such
inspection service as may be necessary
/ (3) To license and supervise the OPP
Grafton of all plants, mills, packing
houses. canneries, slaughterhouses,
breweries, distlleries, storage houses,
I or other establishments or factories IN
/ which food or feeds, agricultural I'M
: plements, and machinery and materials
therefor fertilizers, insecticides, fung-
icides, serumS, toxins, viruses, and any
/ other articles required for agricultural
purposes are prepared, manufactured.
or kept for sale or distribution. This
power should include authority to make
! rules and regulations governing the use
and operation Of such enterprises, III
/ Guiding the taking over and operation
Of them whenever such course may be
necessary in the public interest.
(4) To require the preference move
/ mert by the common carriers of the
! United States of seeds. fertilizers. in
secticides, funricides, and farm i'm
plements or machinery. or the mater
ials required in their manufacture.
90 To enlarge the existing tele-
graphic market news service of the De-
partment, which now covers live stock
: and meats and certain foods, vegetables
and other perishables, in order to as
sist. by securing comprehensive inform
alton from all shipping areas, in the
distribution of products according to
the proportionate requirements OF the
| consuming centerS. Enlargement oil
this service would also tend to prevent
undue shortage in any consuming cep-
ter and provide against wastes due TO
temporary over>upply of perishables in
particular communities. The service
would further assist in securing direct
-outings and thereby relieve, to some
! extent at least, congestion Of trans
norta ton lines 1t would also directly
cid farmers by furnishing information
which would put them on an equality
i with BUYERS and enable them to con-
! sign unsold products to points where
/ there is the greatest need for them.
(6) In case Of extreme emergency, the
| Government should have power to pur-
chase, store and subsequently dispose
Of food products TO groups Of people or
/ communities organized in some form,
/ and to fix maximum or minimum prices.
| Perhaps the exercise of this power
should be lodged in the Council of Ma
Z
! directed by the President. 1t is possible
! that the mere existence of the power
would make action unnecessary. The
| Government should have full discretion
| in the matter. 1t might be wise to fix
I a minimum price to producers for only
one important commodity, just as 1t
might be wise to fix maximum price
which consumers might be expected to
nav for only one or several products.
ca 1 greatly need one. possibly two,
more Assistant Secretaries, and such
number of Assistants to the Secretary
as the circumstances may demand. At
present there is only one Assistant Sec
rotary. The work Of the Department
has increased enormously in the last
few years It had greatly extended be-
fore the European War broke out and
within the last three years it has been
charged with the duty Of administering
a number of very important laws. In
GLIDING the following: % Co-operat-
i've Agricultural Extension Act: (2)
Cotton Futures Act; (O U. s. Grain
Standards Act; (D U. S. Warehouse
Act: (5) Federal Aid Road Act. I need
not set forth the burdens which
have been placed upon the central
office because of the present en-