The Washington herald., 1917-11-08
How TO Distribute Food.

The Shepherd bill providing
very elaborate system for food dis
tribution will come up again at the
regular session. IL some Of the men
supporting il have their way. SEN
ator Fletcher proposed the same Dill
before. but apparently thought that
10 give IT his attention again might
not be worth the while with other de-
mands for his time. The measure Is
lust now being touted by Daniel Lu-
bin as one Of the needed bits Of legis-
lation IL we are TO prosecute the war
with more fidelity and with increased
efficiency. Nr. Lubin summarizes IL
in this LANGUAGE. pointing out in cal
ling il TO the attention OF the mem
bers. that the President commented
upon several OF its leading points
but not saving that the President sp-
proved its passage.
In substance, under this system the
Federal government offers charters
for the organization of chambers OF
agriculture. These chambers are OF
different grades. There are. hrst'
the township chambers: second. the
county chambers; third, the State
chambers: and fourth and finally, the
national chamber OF agriculture.
when n farmer in a township OBJ
tains twenty names to a petition he
will be given a charter and can form
township chamber OF agriculture.
when four or more townships
have been organized in country.
they can obtain charter and elect
their delegates, who form county
chamber of agriculture.
"whenever one-thiUd Of the counties
in a State have been organized in
county, they can obtain charter and
elect their delegates, who form
county chamber Of agriculture.
.'Whenever one-third of the counties
IN n State have been or-anized, they
can obtain a charter and elect Their
delegates, who form 8 State chamber
OF agriculture.
"Wheneyer twenty States have been
organized. they can obtain a charter
ond elect their delegates, who form
tha national chamber of agriculture.
1--WE thus have an all-embracing'
serni-officlal organization for promot-
ing the equitable distribution OF iarn
nroducts, supported by the annual
dues paid by the members OF the
township chambers. 1t would nave
paid. secreta ries and a working stan
in each Of the several chambers, Win
ramjiicatiOns beginning with the IN
diyidual farmer linked up to his town
shin organization, then TO his county
organization, then TO his State or
ganization. and lastly to the national
organization; all of which is intend
ed for the purpose of placing the
distribution Of farm products on as
practicable and economical foot
ing as is the present distribution OF
manufactures from the factory TO
the consumer through the ordinary
channels of commerce"
Mr.. Lubin thinks that neither the
Agricultural Department nor the Food
Administration can attend TO all phas-
es of the food movement. The OBJ
iects of such a movement, he en-
phasizes, are as follows: First, to
produce food; Second, to bring about
an even flow of food; Third, TO dis
tribute 1t equally; Fourth, give just
prices to the producers. and tlfth,
give Just prices to the consumers.
The Agricultural Department has one
function and the Food Administra-
ton another, he thinks. while such
a system as he proposes would cover
them all more completely and more
effectively than any method yet de-
yised.
He commends It most agreeably by
saying that at is. in fact. the very
system a group of intelligent mer-
chants would adopt were all farm
products of the country intrusted to
them for distribution" In spite OF
this persuasive statement of Mr.. Lu-
bins to Congress there is little hope
for the passage of the act at this
time. The present channels must be
utilized, the majority OF the MEM
bers believe. and so does the Presi-
dent. according to the statements OF
his leaders in Congress.