Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-10
CONTROL
ALL FOODSTUFFS
NOV. ORDER
Dealers Must Have Govern
ment License to Operate
After That Date

Washington, Oct 10.-Herbert G.
Hoover has resorted to the most pow
erful weapon given him by Congress
as food administrator to stabilize
prices and give the American con-
sumner minimum prices for food
stuffs. Virtually all staple goods Will
be placed under government control
November l.
Announcement was made by the
Food Administration last night that
a proclamation to be issued by the
President will call into being the eX-
tensive system of licenses by which
all persons engaged in the importa-
ton, manufacture, storage and dis.
tribution of certain foodstuffs VIII
be required to submit to the author
ity and dictation of the government
or cease business.
The power of the license system to
be employed If manufacturers and
dealers fail to or refuse to cooperate
with the government in food control
measures is to be invoked to such
an extent that it will apply to re-
tailers doing an annual business OF
100000, as well as to meat pack
ers, millers, grain elevator owners
and grain dealers, Gamers and
wholesale distributors.
The "middleman" is thus to he
forced to do the bidding of the gov
ernment, and he is to be the chief OBJ
ject of attack under the license syS-
tenn if he insists upon profiteering in
food supplies of the American peo-
pie.
Order Hits "NIiddIemen"
The fate of the "middleman," gen.
orally held responsible for the differ
ence in price between the producer
and consumer, will be prohibited
from doing business unless he sub
mits to the rules of the food admin
istration.
Although licenses are to be re-
quired of these retailers doing $780,
600 business annually the Food Ad-
ministration is confident that in con-
trolling the big retailers it will have
the smaller dealers in control, as
they will be forced to fall into line
with the big dealers in order to meet
competition.
The Presidents proclamation will
require all persons handling the COM
modities to be named to apply for
licenses by November /, in which
is seen the broadest step toward gov
ernment control of business ever wit
messed in the United States. The list
of commodities affected will be an
nounced in a day or two.
After November l no dealer of any
sort will be permitted to trade in
any of the commodities to be named
unless he has government license
| and to get license he must agree to
| the terms of the government.
The detailed statement of the Food
| Administration setting forth its plans
| for the operation of the licensing sys-
tenn follows:
Provisions of New Rule
1.-The President will shortly issue q
| oil AtNs
| engaged in the import, manufacture
storage and distribution of certain
| fundamental foodstuffs to obtain 9
license from the food administrator
These will embrace meat packers
cold storage warehouse men, millers
Gamers, elevators, grain dealers
wholesale distributors, retailers do
| ing q business of more than $780,
| 900 a year, who handle the commo
dities to be set out in the Presi'
! dents proclamation.
"The issuance of the proclama'
| ton has been somewhat delayed by
| the Food Administration. owing to It's
| desire to complete the numerou:
| conferences which it has been hold
ing with the representatives of the
| various trades and of producers anC
consumers. Some 200 such confer
ences have been held with a view tC
the development of regulations ant
constructive methods of control.
"It has been the desire of Foot
Administrator Hoover to obtain the
cooperation of all patriotic men il
the various trades so as to eliminate
speculation, boarding, unreasonable
profits, wasteful practices, etc, II
the great distribution system of the
country.
"The licensing provision in the
food bill is limited in operation tC
the channels of trade which lie be-
tween the farmer on the one hano
and the retailer on the other, except
as it extends to those few retailer;
who do an annual business of more
than 500, 900"