The Washington herald., 1917-10-10
FOOD DEALERS
LICENSE READY
.Hoover's Office to Issue
Blanks to Men Engaged
in Business.

Within a day or two President
Wilson will issue a proclamation re-
quiring all persons engaged in i'm
porting, manufacturing, storing and
distributing certain Fundamental
food stuffs to secure a license from
the Food Administrator, Herbert c.
Hoover.
Meat packers, cold storage ware
houses, millers. Gamers, elevators,
grain dealers, wholesale distributors
and retailers doing business of more
than 100000 annually will all be re-
quired to take out the licenses which
must Be applied for before Novem-
ber /. 49,
About tSr;fy basic commodities
and their sJdncts have been select
ed by the Food Administration as
forming the. prime basis of life, and
the licensing control will be limited
to these commodities. The adminis-
tration has also so far as possible
eliminated the smallest units of busi-
ness in these staples.
Already, elevators, sugar refiners
and some millers are working under
the license system.
Government Has Control.
The notice of the Presidential pro-
clamation shows the intention of the
Food Admintration to follow close
ly the powers conferred upon II by
the food control bill, and which
were SO bitterly fought upon the SEN
ate floor. Under the licensing sys-
Hm the government has complete
control over the industries indicated,
'and can revoke the licenses for vio-
lation of the law.
In a formal statement issued YES
terday by the Food Administration
preceding the Presidential message
it is stated:
''It is the purpose of the Food Ad-
ministration to effect conservation in
the commercial use Of these COM
modities and to keep them flowing
toward the consumer in direct lines
through the channels of trade in as
econmical a manner as possible. The
administration does not wish to dis
turb the normal and necessary ac-
tvities Of business and no business
factor who is performing a useful
function will be expected to surrender
that function.
''The administration is, however,
charged with several duties.
THE producer must have a free
outlet and a ready market.
There must be no manipulation or
speculation in foods.
There must be no boarding In
foods.
Unfair or unreasonable profits
must be eliminated.
Discriminatory and deceptive and
wasteful practices which In any way
= ID rN1w III
be stopped"
Issuance of License.
The proclamation will require all
OF those handling the commodities
concerned to apply for licenses before
November ], upon forms which will
be supplied on application to the
Food Administration.
Applicants will receive licenses with
out cost, and the regulations gov
erning those dealing with the COM
modities licensed will be issued in
due course.
The statement concludes:
It has been generally recognized
throughout the country that the enor-
nous obligation imposed upon the
American people to feed our soldiers
at the front and the allies creates
a disturbing factor In trade which
allows opportunity to a few to i'm
pose burdens upon the many, and
that 1t is Of vital national Importance
that such control should be exerted
as VIII remedy. so far as may be,
the economic disturbances incident 20
the war. The prime purpose of the
Food Administration is to protect the
patriot against the Stacker in busi-
ness"
President Wilson's proclamation
would have been issued before this
but the conferences delayed its ap-
pearance.