New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-20

| ton. Mr.. Hoover told the Senator'S, is
opposed to the food control bill. the
! prospective food administrator went TO
| the Capitol early to-day to explain
! the bill informally, in the hcce that a
| full understanding of its objects ana
| purposes may allay some of the OPPOSE
! ton.
! MIR. Hoover said with all wheat I'm .
ported bread prices in Belgium were
60 per cent less than in New YORK CITY,
while those in England and France are
! so to 40 per cent lower. with producers
realizing the same prices.
ave now have high cost of living,
| he continued, beyond the abilities OF
! certain sections of the population 10
withstand and to secure proper nourlsh-
ment from the wage levels. Unless we
can ameliorate this condition and IN
! less we can prevent further advances in
prices we must confront further an en-
/ tire rearrangement Of the wage level,
with all the hardships and social dis
turbances which necessarily follow.
eve propose 10 mobilize spirit OF
| self-denial and self-sacrifice in this
country in order that we may reduce
national waste. II democracy is worth
anything, we can do these things by
| cooperation. If it cannot be done. it Is
better that we accept German DONNA
/ ton and confess the failure OF our
I political ideals.
mo one will undertake this Office
who has hopes Of retaining the esteem
| Of his country. Any food administra-
/ ton must be based on self-sacrifice OF
somebody, somewhere. and while the
vast majority Of people will accept II
/ ii :. 1n h.r
\ minority whose complaints will sound
mach larger above the satisfaction OF
/ the inarticulate masses.
Eve have no hope of complete sue
cess, but we have hope that we shall
/ succeed so far as to enable this coun-
try and the Allies to remain constant
/ in this war"
Millers Not Blamed
Mr.. Hoover denied that the millers
/ have been the spectators in the grain
market and said that what action they
might have taken in that regard was
purely for self-preservation. Senator
Gore said he had heard the millers dur.
! ing the recent rise in the price OF
wheat offered approximately IS cents
more than WAS offered by spectators.
"IIas the wholesaler been RESPONSE
/ Bile for the rise in prices?" asked SEN
ator Reed.
IL wouldn't like to say that any spe-
cial trade has been responsible.
Mr.. Hoover warned against legisla-
ton to prevent dealing in futures. =,
"Tf you pass legislation of this kind
YOU might demoralize the trade of the
country he said
At another point. when questioned
sharply by Senator Reed regarding his
intentions OF carrying out the pro-
visions Of the bill, Mr.. Hoover eS-
claimed
81 have not asked Congress TO do
anything. | did not write this bill. !
admit that | am totally incapable OF
carrying il out, but have been an
earnest advocate Of food control. and
| believe it to be of the most vital i'm
portance in the carrying out Of this
war"
Senator Reed asked II It were pos
sible for any ore agency to distribute
the nations foodstuffs with no short
age or surplus. Mr.. Hoover replied
that that was "a logical extreme of ex-
PRESTON" adding tartly
"If Holsters are unequally distribu-
ted that doesn't interest me-"
Senator Reed disclaimed being an
! tagonistic in his questioning. and Sem
ator Walsh observed that his ques-
tions "led to that conclusion"
After four hours of questioning.
Senators had not finished quizzing Mr..
Hoover, and he will appear again Fri
| dav morning.