Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-08-13

necessary In order to maintain a fair
price. and will resell wheat for ex-
port in such quantities as we can af-
ford to part with in protection Of our
own people on one hand and to sell on
the other to the millers for domestic
consumption. The administration will
make no charge except nominal per-
centage to cover costs of the opera
ton and arrangements will be made
/ which will assure the government
against loss.
Independent Auditing Committee
In order that nothing shall be left
properly constituted and Independent
auditing committee which will check
all transactions at every point.
The food administration under these
arrangements would have large in
fluence in effecting the price, the Pres
ident has approved the appointment
of a committee to be selected from
representatives of the producing Sec
tions and consuming elements in the
community. This committee will be
assembled under the craftsmanship OF
President Garfield of Williams College
and it will be the duty of this commit
tee to determine a fair price for the
1917 harvest.
Upon the determination Of this fair
ass it is the intention of the food
administration to use every authority
given il under the bill for control OF
exports to effect the universality OF
the fair, basis throughout the whole OF
the 1917 harvest year without change
or fluctuations. 1t should thus be
clear that it will not be to the advant.
age of any producer to hold back his
grain in participation of further ad
vance for he will do SO only at his
own cost of storage and interest, and.
i: ii is necessary for the government
to buy the entire wheat harvest In
order to maintain this fair price in
protection of the producer. we intend
tc do so.
Furthermore the holding of wheat
contracts by persons not engaged in
the trade and even when in trade, in
, larger quantities than is necessary for
| the ordinary course of their business
is unlawful under the act and such
cases will be prosecuted with vigor.
And we would advise such holders to
Stabilize Wheat Prices
BY the above arrangement we believe
that we shall stabilize the price Of wheat
throughout the year, that the hazards of
operation due to fiuctuating prices which
are imposed upon our milling and distrib.
utng community will be eliminated and
therefore their business can return to the
normal lines and the normal margins Of
profit. and that we shall not only have
stabilized the price of wheat. but stabil-
lied the price of -four, and that il should
enable us to arrive at a stabilized price
for bread
The food administration has Had the
patriotic cooperation of the leading mil
lers of the country and these millers
have organized at the request of the food
administrator, a committee to represent
the entire trade. Detailed proposals for
an agreed differential Of profit and ex-
penses per barrel Of -four and per ton OF
feed are under discussion. Under this
agreement the public will be assured an
equitable and stabilized price Of -four.
based upon the cost Of raw material, and
we confidently expect that the volunteer
arrangement with the mills will give sat
isfaction to the public.
| More Wheat for Export
The universal endeavor over the
courtry to reduce consumption Of
v heat breadstuffs in order that we may
Rave the requisite exports with which
to carry the allies over the forthcom-
! ing winter will result in a largely in
creased amount of wheat available for
| export II it We're exported as wheat,
| ii would result m elimination of en-
ployment in our mills and, of equal i'm
portance, curtailnlent of supply of mill
feed for our dairy cattle. Therefore
! the food administration will stipulate
for large proportion of export Of
! -four instead of wheat and as the ex-
port orders for -four will be given sub
! ject to the approval of the food admin
| istration, those mills which cooperate
with the administration will be given
the benefit Of the exports employment
! BY thus encouraging the home produc.
ton of -four, the manufacturing cost
will be reduced and therefore the
American public will receive indirect
benefit in lowered margin Of cost in
distribution.
! In accordance with the policy Of the
admin stration to cooperate with all
trades we are this week also discussing
details Of voluntary arrangements with
the -four distributors by which agreed
maximum differentials may be effected
in the Wholesale trade.
IAN exhaustive tnve7tigat ton 10 being
made into the cost Of baking and bread
distribution and active discussions are
being carried on with the makers war
emergency committee as to plans for the
elimination Of waste in the industry and
the production Of standard loaf.
1T is impossible 70 anticipate the price
TO be enunciated by the fair price COM
nittee under Dr. Garfield. and il will
probably require two or three weeks In
its determination.
The efforts Of the committee are being
submitted to the President and will soon
be announced
1T must be evident to all thinking per-
sons that unless the price OF wheat -four
and bread can be materially reduced We
cannot expect to maintain the present
wage scale of the country. and that. we
must, In this social readjustment. lost ef-
fciency at time when we can afford no
such sa crifce." -