Arizona republican., 1917-05-11

senting the majority of each branch of the food trades were called in and clothed with the necessary powers to force the small minority of sllunks that exist in every trade one result would be that an equally nutritious flour based on $1.50 wheat could be sold in New York for good deal un- der $S per barrel, and every grade would receive it's legitimate profit. Without control we may see $20 flour before the year is out and a total dis location of wages and consequent dis location of industry ard living.
 "On the other hand, if we overcome the submarine and if we open other markets tc our allies we may see wheat at s1 bushel and flour under s6. In any event, with sufficient con- trol, the present price of flour can
 be reduced by 40 to 50 per cent and at the same time the produce treated in a liberal manner
 Without any form of control we are likely to see an even worse sit nation than the high prices prevail
 ing, resulting from the unrestrained drain on our wheat abroad It is
 possible that the last three months of
 next year we may be bare Of bread stuffs in this country.
 fcOC COHl1Ol uOeS TOI mean DTedu cards tc the American people It means the broad conservation of our focd, the better handling by elimina-
 tion of waste and speculation. With proper control for America the gov errment would ask only one thing from the individual consumer, that he | eat plenty, but wisely. and waste
 nothing, and if democracy is a faith
 worth defending our people will do this service voluntarily and willing 1 ly.
 Hoarding and speculation are rife. 1 vet there can ce no particle of d l doubt that we have in North America l today a surplus of from 50,000, 900 to l 7000o090 bushels of wheat beyond our ordinary consumption and beyond l the needs of our allies before the nexs 1 harvest comes in. Out of the reXt 1 harvest, With no economy in con
 sumption, North America, even with 1 the loss iI winter wheat, can give
 our allies 100000 bushels of cereals i of one kind or another.
 But to protect cur consumers l from today and to legitimately ex- pand our exports to our allies with out breaking into cur own necessary food, the government must have wid- | est and absolutely immediate powers. 1 Time is the essence of the matter. , No Europeon government except Ger
 many was able to Secure these pow
 CTS until after some great disaster was irrevocable. and we sit here | dumbly waiting for disaster and
 then we shall scream and criticize i the government for net having done i something that it is powerless to do. i There has been a great deal of dis l cussion in the press as to my coming 10 America to take the position Of food dictator or food controller. This ! is not the case. l came to Wash ingtor from Europe at the request of
 the government to advise them as to
 the organization necessary to set up , for proper and efficient food control , Legislation already has been intro 1 duced into congress looking toward
 the creation of food control. The de- i tail Of means and measures must be ! evolved from our own commercial l institutions with tho experience of tho 1 vast Eurorean laboratory for food
 control problems as a guard against