The daily Nome industrial worker., 1917-05-12
CORNER IN FOOD.

Friday, March 2. It is quite thought ful and even more suggestive;
 "Prices for table necessaries in the United States are not normal, but far from it, yet it is plain that the recent effort of the speculators and manipulators to carry on campaign of extortion beyond any previously attempted has proved failure.
 The quick decision of municipal, State and Federal authorities to ex- anime the contents of storage plants thereby exposing the actual visible supply has led the monopolistic con cerns to relax their grips on the markets under their control. With the liberation of vegetables in stock, that is held for further rise, prices have declined in the principal cities. One of the most remarkable de- clines has been in the charges for potatoes. While the spectators were claiming, week ago, that shortage would necessitate advances beyond any recorded, it is now dis covered that the supply is ample, with the result that $3 bushei is an outside price and is obtained only for a select grade, while quality that sold, week ago, for 90 cents and $1OO peck may now be bought at from $2 to $2.50 bushel.
 A. point to be borne in mind by the consumer is that, few days ago, while the price of potatoes was at it's height, because of the great scarcity of the vegetable, cargo of an estimated value ot S6O,OOO was being dispatched from Portland. Maine, to New York, and that no sooner had the authorities given notice of determination to search the storage plants, than inn mense quantities of potatoes ana other vegetables, found their way into the hands of the retailers There was no longer scarcity" there was no longer shortage :, no longer fear of famine. There was plenty of everything as there always has been.
 Another remarkable clrcum- stance. equally worthy of rememb- rance. is the fact that while ex- nortation of foodstuffs to Europe, last week, was "exhausting the home supply. there was no com plaint of dearth anywhere in the country. On the contrary, Call fornia and other states report that they could easily spare large ship ments of breadstuffs, in fact, would be glad to find a market for them. The scarcity of cars has under gone a change no less remarkable than was the scarcity of foodstuffs. One day it was impossible for the railroads to haul the provisions off cred them; the next day thou sand empty cars were being whirled to one of the principal distributing centers.
 Even though the strain has been eased, and even though the tend ency is once more toward the nor nal. however, nothing has been permanently corrected. What has taken place. can take place again There is a looseness about the whole system of handing and distri' buting the foodstuffs of the country that is a constant source of pubh' uncertainty, annoyance, and impos ition".
 This article. you see, planes the middleman and the speculator sole ly. The food supply is ample .ane the amplitude is being controlled for ulterior purposes by the specu lators.
 That there is grain of truti in the Monitors article we do no question. Why food is not as legi innate a subject for profit making and speculation as shoes and hat and clothing and rented houses ant wood and iron and coal and othel things badly needed by human be ings is not clear. Why the higl price of grain and food stuffs shoul' be the subject of an especially ser jus story against the spectators while the rest appear to be all righl