The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-11-08

and it's allies show no disposition to
yield to the pleas Of the So-called neu-
trail nations that have been supplying
Germany with food and other mate
rails. According to reports received in
Washington, the food situation in Ger
many is growing acute. The weekly
ration there amounts approximately
to four and half pounds of bread,
half peck of potatoes, cupful of
beans, peas, or oatmeal half pound
of meat, twelve cubes of sugar, six
individual patties of butter and an
equal amount of other fats. The caloric
value of these foods in the aggregate,
is less than half the amount estimated
by the American food administration
occupation.
Coal Strike Makes Trouble.
The coal situation, especially in ILL
nois, caused the administration a great
deal of trouble. Strikes, unauthorized
by the union, stopped production and
the operators declared they could not
pay the wages demanded unless they
were allowed to charge the general
public so cents more ton. Coal Ad-
ministrator Garfield was swamped with
appeals and protests, and sent out a
message to the effect that unless min
ing was resumed the federal govern
ment would seize the mines The whole
affair has the appearance of greed fos-
tered by underhanded pro-German in
fiuences.
Food Administrator Hoover has
been brought to a realization of the
fact that the retail grocers of the coun-
try are robbing the ultimate consum-
ers, and he proposes to go as far as his
powers permit in stopping the extor-
ton. In a statement issued Thursday
Mr.. Hoover said that though neither
the food administration nor the gov
eminent has authority to regulate the
retailer as it does the wholesaler, he
would, beginning November 1, expose
the former each week by publishing
the wholesale prices of all commodities
in every section. Thus the purchaser
will know how much the retailer is
paying and how much undue profit he
is exacting. Mr.. Hoover cites particu-
larly the retail price of flour, which is
out of all proportion to the wholesale
price fixed by the government, and al
so the recent unwarranted advances
in the retail price of sugar.
Unless the retailer grocer behaves,
the food administrator hints, congress
may be asked for legislation giving the
government power to regulate him. Mr..
Hoover asserts that the corner has
been turned in high prices and that If
the farmer and retailer cooperate with
him, the essential commodities one at
ter another should continue to show re-
auctions between now and the end OF
the year.
The war department issued orders
Thursday for the entertainment of the
final quotas of the first draft from the
northwest, states and the entire mobili-
cation of the $4,000 men of the first
army is expected to be complete by
the middle of November. The call for
the second draft is not expected be-
fore the first of the year, but arrange
ments for it are under way and it may
be that the remaining 100000 eligi-
bles will be examined in advance SO as
to establish waiting list. Prepare
lions for the winter in the training
camps are being made rapidly and
there is reason to believe that there
will be no shortage of warm clothing,
arms and all other necessary supplies.
The Liberty bond campaign went
with rush last week, despite the dis
loyal opposition displayed in some To-
! calities. The government has taken
steps to punish the pro-German work
| ers who have fostered this hostile SEN
| timent, and Secretary McAdoo has ask
ed banks to report the names of those
who have sought to intimidate bank
ers by threats to withdraw their de-
| posits.
The senatorial committee investigat
! ing Senator La Follette's loyalty hello
several sessions but was temporarily
foiled by the willy fellows demand that
he be given the opportunity to cross
examine those who had contradicted
/ his assertion regarding Bryan's state.
ment to President Wilson anent the
Lusitania. AS the committee cannot
well summon the president or Mr.
Bryan. it adjourned to think the case
over.
Former Senator Pettigrew of South
Dakota is emulatipg the record of La
Toilette and defying the government
TO have him indicted. His utterances
are if anything more reprehensiDle
than those of the Wisconsin man, but
he himself is much more negligible
If all their readers and hearers were
persons of sound sense. neither one
would be worth the powder 1t would
take to blow him over to Germany.
80 to go dead to 500, non-Italian au-