Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-14

1
ment service.
Before it was introduced it was
o K'ed by President Wilson and by
Herbert c. Hoover, who had hurried
from London to volunteer his great
abilities as food administrator.
President Wilson had accepted
Hooyer's services by cable in the be-
lief-which was shared by every man
who had followed Hoover's career since
the beginning of the European war
that he was the best fitted man In the
whole world for the job.
There was absolutely no good reason
why the food bill should not have been
passed by congress and become a law
by the presidents signature within
week from the day it was introduced.
There is not the shadow of doubt
that If this had been done. every family
in the United States would have felt
the effects almost Immediately, in the
reduced cost of food necessities.
Every days delay has added millions
to the profits Of the great concerns
which handle the food from the time 1t
leaves the producer until it reaches the
retailer and the consumer.
And, what is more, every days de-
lay has fastened the grip of these
great concerns on the nations food re-
serves and made it increasingly diff
cult, if not impossible, to release it
without resorting to the most desper-
at measures.
About the middle of June, Hoover.
after a most careful survey of the
whole food situation, told the leaders
in congress and issued a statement to
the public that July l was the outside
limit when he must have authority to
take necessary steps to control the
prices of this years harvest If the con-
sumner waste get the protection he was
entitled to-
Congress paid no more attention to
Hoover's statement, which was really
an eloquent plea for action, than
though he had talked in a strange
language which they did not UNDER
stand
July 1 came and went and the
without interruption.
In the meantime the greater part of
this years harvest has fallen into the
foul jaws of the food sharks and the
rest of it will be there before the food
bill becomes a law, if it ever does.
There is no such lack of food in this
country as to justify the high prices,
in many cases prohibitive to families of
small incomes. This is proved by a
statement on cold storage holdings
given out by the department of agri-
culture this week.
The statement, compiled from re-
ports received from about $50 cold
storage plants throughout the country
shows there are more butter, eggs
cheese, frozen and cured meats, lard
and frozen poultry in the refrigerating
establishments than ever before in the
history of the nation.
The law of supply and demand no
longer obtains. With these great re-
serves of food being held for specula-
tive purposes, the cost of food is
higher than during the Civil War.
Here are some startling figures
Mark them well, and when you mark
them think of congress, that, knowing
| them, refuses you relief:
The frozen poultry now in cold stor-
age totals fifty-four million pounds. an
increase of nearly 500 per cent over the
quantity held in the refrigeration
plants year ago.
| lis it any wonder that chicken has
become an unattainable luxury in mil
lions of American homes)
! There are about thirty million
pounds of cured beef in cold storage
an increase Of Is per cent over a year
ago. There are about ninety million
pounds Of frozen beef now in cold stor-
age. or about 30 per cent more than
last year.
Isn't 1t perfectly clear that while
your congress has been holding up the
! food bill with a fake debate about
whisky and beer. the food spectators
and hoarders have been grabbing all
the food they can get hold of and MAX
ing you pay outrageous prices?
| Just one word more: In America
the greatest wheat-growing country in
the world, wheat costs the consumer
! more than in France, England, Ger
many or Italy. And what is true of
wheat is equally true Of many other
food staples.