South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-19

Of the Chicago board Of trade, who
7 has just returned from a conference
IN Washington, called by Food Ad-
ministrator, Herbert Hoover. and by
Julius n. Barnes, president Of the
United States food administration
grain corporation, 20 consider the
plans proposed for putting into ef-
feet the food administration laws,
AT which conference Mr.. Sager rep
resented the board of trade of the
city Of Chicago. reports as follows:
The conference was attended by
nearly one hundred representative
grain men summoned from all over
the country TO confer with Mr.
Hoover and Mr. Barnes. In address
ing the convention, Mr.. Hoover and
Mr. Barnes, appealing 10 the pa
triotism OF the grain trade 10 CO.
operate with the government 10 the
fullest extent possible i'm making the
food administration a success, even
though such cooperation meant
personal sacrifice and personal loss,
even 10 the extent in some instances
Of virtually compelling individuals
90 give mp their own business. said
the food administration act was
purely a war measure and was rart
Of the machinery needed by the gov
eminent for successful prOsecu-
tion of the war. but that IT was the
expectation of the government 10 in
terfere as little as possible with the
established methods heretofore i'm
effect for marketing grain, as they
recognized the important service
and functions of the exchanges and
their importance i'm the economic
distribution of grain. and il was only
the eXigencies of the war. the neces-
stiles of our allies the tremendous
buying at certain times 10 meet such
necessities. resulting I'M erratic
fluctuations in values. that had in
clined the government TO ask the
exchanges 10 restrict in some meas
ure-trading i'm wheat for future de
livery and that now impelled the
government 10 undertake if possible
the entire distribution OF the wheat
crop.
For War Only.
Mr. Hoover and Mr.. Barnes rGade
il clear that, the government tecog
nizing the useful services Of the
grain dealers and the exchanges, eN-
pected 10 limit governmental opera
tions i'm wheat To the period of the
war and to leave the trade after the
war TO resume business i'm as nearly
AS possible the same condition as
had prevailed before the war.
With these objects i'm view the
government asks and expects the
earnest cooperation and assistance
Of the entire grain trade.
The plan briefly outlined, is as fol-
lows
The food administration has or
gained a governmental buying and
selling agency. with a capital of $50
0OO. 600 TO be designated as the
United States food administration
grain corporation. The entire United
States will be divided into zones; i'm
each OF said zones the grain corpora
ton will establish offices and will
largely confue its purchases and
sales of wheat TO wheat already de
Hvered into elevators designated by
such agencies. the government only
paying for such wheat after the
grain has actually been delivered in
10 said designated elevators, and i'm
exchange for warehouse receipts.
The government will make ar
raugements with owners of the ele-
vators so designated for storage. 10
O.. Ia .ffst,
performed as reimbursement. Should
the government be called upon 10y
any shipper 10 look after said ship
per's grain i'm the terminal mar
kets. or as arriving at such desig-
mated places OF storage. the govern
ment will charge said shipper or
owner of said grain. one percent
the government made il very plain
that IL preferred 10 buy the wheat
through the regularly established
channels heretofore operating I'm the
various grain markets.
VIII sell To Millers
After purchasing the wheat the
government hopes by voluntary
agreement with the miller>. te be
come practically the only seller of
wheat. providing the millers from
its accumulated stores with the
wheat they require for milling pur-
poses. and for such services the
government will charge the millers
certain percent on the wheat SO
provided 10 them I'm addition 20 the
cost price
The government viii probably be-
come the only seller OF wheat 20 the
allied nations and 20 the neutral ma
tons and OF course. To our own gov
eminent. thus practically being the
only buyer and seller OF wheat. The
price determined by the government
viii. of necessity, become practically
the only price.
a commission has been appointed
by the president which is now CON
sidering what is a fair price for