Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-25
EVENTS or THE WEEK

Interest In war preparations was shifted from the
general to the particular during the week, especially In
the northwest, by the discussion Of the price to be fixed
by the food administration on wheat for the crop Of
1917. When the announcement was made Of the purpose
Of the government to take over all or practically all OF
the crop Of this year at a price yet to be fixed, but which
1T was intifnated would be materially lower than the
price then prevailing in the open market, around So. 90
a bushel, there came a vigorous protest especially from
the northwest. Because Of the delay Of congress In passs
ing the food control bill action under it has been i'm
possible until now, when the northwestern crop is about
to be %threshed. and when most Of the southern crop has
been marketed. The people Of the northwest felt that
whether done deliberately Or through pressnfe Of cir
cumstanteey 1t was unjust to the northwestern farmer
that he Should be singled out for q material reduction in
the price Of his crop, which Is lone too large this year.
while tins Producers in other sections have had the ben..
eft OF the higher prices made III the open market, and
when nothing has yet been done to lessen his own cost
OF production.
Interest in the subject was intensified by the runaor
that Food Administrator Hoover was In favor of estab-
fishing q price Of $1.65 for wheat at the terminals. Just
what Warrant there was for this statement does not ap-
pear. Ths report, however was sufficient to bring pro
tests from alk over the northwest, and delegations from
the spring wheat sections were speedily On their way to
Washington. The price commission has since stated that
it had reached no decision on the price, and the intitna-
ton has been given that the price is not likely to be less
than $500, and quite likely to be more.
8 . :
The method by which it is proposed that the gov
eminent shall handle the grain IL similar to that enn-
eployed for the building OF government freight vessels,
namely, by the creation of a $50, 100000 corporation, all
the stock Of which shall be owned by the government;
this corporation to buy for the government ali the wheat
that 1t may need, and to sell to our allies as much Of the
surplus as can be spared.
In connection with this wheat discussion there is to
be noted the fact that when the actual interests Of the
farmer w6fe believed to be Jeopasdised by the arbitrary
lowering OF the price Of his product, the hrst move In
the opposition direction was made by the business men
of the n6fthwest. The nrst step to have the case OF the
farmer placed properly before the government was taken
by the Grand Forks Commercial club. which took ac-
ton Itself and urged all other like bodies TO take similar
action. THIS was done. ana representatives Of the Grand
Forks Club, and Of other commercial bodies were sent
to Washington. In this there has been nothing in the
nature of attempt to have a favor conferred on d par-
ticular class, but merely d demand for Justice, and q rec-
ognition Of the fact, which ali thinking men have always
recognised, that the interests OF all groups In the corn-
nunity are one. and that one group cannot be injured
without All others suherings
ssss @
Under the provisions Of the same bill the government
has taken action on coal prices. and material reductions
from recent prices have been made in most sizes and
kinds Of coal. These reductions apply at the mouth of
the Minis, and the agents Of the government are now at
work on the details by means Of which the profits OF
jobbers aud retailers will be fixed within limits which
are believed to be reasonable. Under the government
control OF transportation, also. arrangements have been
made for flushing to the head of the lakes during the re-
nainder Of the shipping season the largest possible guam
tity Of coal. By vigorous action all along the line it Is
believed that q fuel famine can be averted.
The senate has had under consideration the war tax
bill which was recentlSSreported from the finance com
mittee. The bill as IL came from the house imposed
heavy taxes ON incomes and excess profits. and many OF
these rates have been eliminated or scaled down by the
senate committee on the ground that the heavy taxation
proposed would cripple industries and that this would
react In such q manner that the entire country would
suffer. Senator LaFo1Iette proposed amendments which
would have caused the Bill to 80 farther In the direction
Of Immediate taxation than was proposed in the house
bill. These amendments we're i1eraided with the custom
AIRY notices, and Mr.. LaFollette overlooked nothing which
long experience as his own press agent eould suggest to
convince the plain people that he was their only true