New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-26

state legislation, but preferred to give
the Federal bill a chance" Herbert c.
Hoover as food administrator, he
thought. would be able to correct much
of the evil. He desired to leave it to
Hoover"
The net profits of Grocers averaged
less than % per cent, he asserted, while
the Harvard School of Business Re-
search had developed the fact that the
grocer's net profit averaged only Al
per cent. He had heard of speculation,
but discounted a great deal of what he
heard He was at pains to impress the
absolute disinterestedness OF the dis
tributers in general He eulogized
their patriotism repeatedly.
do you think speculation in food
should be stopped?' Senator Slater
asked.
81 do not" replied Mr. Silk. "If buy
ing OF futures was prohibited there
wouldn't be as much food as there is
now"
"Do you think the sale OF warehouse
receipts should be limited?' pursued
Senator Slater.
81 think that would work the greatest
possible harm"
you think il is a good thing for the
people 10 have warehouse receipts
change hands fifteen or sixteen times
with an extra paper profit each time ,"
IF piece of real estate changes
hands twenty times does it make it any
more valuable or can you get any more
rent out of it?" countered the witness.
Few Distributors Are Rich"
Mr.. Silk admitted there is a great
difference between speculation in land
and food and fell back on the statement
that there are few rich men among
the distributors"
John c. circuit, secretary of the New
York Food Distributors Association,
submitted a lengthy brief in answer TO
series of questions which had been
propounded by the committee Mini
mum prices to farmers. he said. seemed
TO be not wanted by the farmers and
has been a failure in England and Ger
many. In substance he stated that:
The distributors assume there will
be Federal food administrator for
New York State and one for New York
City. That the distributors will CO.
operate with them and can conceive Of
no situation which might not Weld to
their combined efforts
In answer 20 a question as to what
legislation they thought should be en-
acted TO control trade manipulation or
speculation II was stated that produce
trading must necessarily be speculat-
i've; that future markets are made on
primary exchanges, all of which grain.
butter, eggs, meats, etc.) are produced
outside of New York City, so that if
any state law were passed il would
nave very little jurisdiction and would
not prevent dealers operating on other
exchanges. Federal legislation alone
1t was submitted, would be effective.
Any power given to the state to regu
late the placing of food products in
storage, over and above that exercised
by the Federal food control bill. would
be a handicap TO the proper conserya-
ton OF the food supply.
Any power to seize and distribute
products IN excess of necessities upon
the payment of the value of the prop.
erty seized would also be handcap 10
the proper conservation Of the food
supply. II power to purchase and dis
tribute food should be given 10 tho
state authorities it would result. in the
opinion Of the distributors, in misman-
agement and resultant high cost to con
sumers, not, perhaps, in the apparent
prices Of the food, but in invisible
taxation and that,
1T does not seem wise in the interest
of the consumer, distributor, carrier or
producer to have legislation of food
control enacted by the New York Legis.
lature. az this special session. unless
Il be sweeping provision that the pro-
visions Of the Federal food control law
should apply in New York State and
that all powers in regard TO intrastate
regulation of food products be vested
in the Federal food administrator"
Another witness before the committee
was Luclus p. Brown. director of the
bureau Of foods and drugs Of the De-
partment Of Health, who expressed the
opinion that Federal control alone can
meet the present emergency. He was
unable TO supply information concern
ing the number of cases Of malnutri- !
tion in children in the city, which was
asked of him by woman in the audi
ence. He quoted current food prices
and in this connection said he had