Arizona sentinel., 1917-09-06
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
The New Laws of Commerce.

WASHINGTON-For a generation we have heard about the law of supply and demand" Protective tariff speeches, as well as those advocating tariff for revenue only, " have rested, and wrestled with the problems of competition, supply and demand; and the devious ways by which business and prices have been expected in the past to level them selves Now, all those time-honored doc trines and theories have been consigned to the scrap heap by mutual consent. Hence the food administration and MT. Hoover.
 The old ways ceased to work, and the pub lie knows to it's sorrow, that the food specu- lators pivot the market and fleece the dear people," And so, in the face of the war; we have abandoned trust busting" and Uncle Sam has started in to apply entirely new laws to the production, sale and consumption of food It is interesting to know just what is contemplated by this radical reversal of all our customs and policies. It has been defined within the past few days in two or three in- stances.
 | The Hoover administration has tackled the problems of wheat, meats sugar and many other necessities. For the purposes of this story the issue is made clear by following the processes adopted with reference to the pack ing houses and the sugar producers.
 Mr. Hoover met the heads of the great packing houses in Chicago. He was fortified with all kinds of information covering the in- dustry and various authorities and officials of the government accompanied him, and "set in" at the big 'pow-wow. The purpose of the gathering was to determine, if possible, minimum prices for food products. The pack CTS furnished satisfactory evidence that they have the patriotic spirit, and are willing to fix prices that the government considers fair and equitable. Therefore the price-fixing is likely to be left entirely in the hands of the packers MT. Hoover issued statement say ing that there was no intent on the part of the government to fix prices within this industry Keeping the tentative agreement affecting prices on meat in mind let us turn to the sug ar problems. The beet sugar producers came to Washington in force. They voluntarily agreed to sell their sugar at seven and quar- ter cents pound. This is a cent and half lower than the present wholesale prices. The government accepted the offer, and com mended it as patriotic Now the cane produc- CTS and the sugar growers in Hawaii and elsewhere, are arranging with the govern ment to meet the sugar beet price. It must be remembered that most of our sugar comes from Cuba, and that the Cuban crop has al- ways controlled the market, under the tender manipulations of the sugar trust.
 Assuming that all the food interests will agree to prices with the Hoover adminstra- ton, there will be nothing else to be done. But some of the packers, and possibly the sugar trust, may not agree to the program, and in that event they may attempt to fix higher prices than those to which the govern- ment has assented. In that event the admin istration has power to seize private interests, fix prices, and tell the owners to keep off the grass" Or the administration may forbid any plant to operate without license, and this license will carry with it price fixed by the government.
 The food administration first offers in all cases, an easy, peaceable method, leaving all industries undisturbed; depending for results on mutual understandings. These under standings may be violated or it may be inl- nOSSih1e in SOme caSeS tO reach an aOreement