Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-21
Will obstruetionists "See"?

Will OoStructi0nl0te see
Certain congressman are standing IN
the way Of the so-called food control
. hill. some Of them on the ground that
10 would rob tho producer. and others
because they are opposed to comforting
such powers on the President. 1t mat
tiers not what the excuse Is. 1t matters
not whether the government CON-
Trolls the food Of the country. but the
country Is demanding. producers and
2 consumers, that Congress deal, and
/, deal promptly and severely with those
4, who are NOW controlling" the food.
What shall we finally say to men in
Congress who resort to puerile pretext,
and w1gele and twist to dodge the
facts, while the people are being robbed
by organized gangs OF pirates? While
these conservative" obstructionists
delay action other millions, scores and
hundreds of them, will be taken from
the pockets Of the people in extortion-
ate prices.
Let US say for the producers that, IT
the burden Of government control be
on them. they prefer that the hundreds
Of millions now going into the strong
boxes OF few gamblers and food pi-
rates be distributed among millions Of
consumers.
And as for a dictatorship, is it any
worse for the government to control
the food than 1t is for the same gov
d, eminent to control the bodies Of mill
% lions Of men for war service?
Mr.. Hoover points out to Congress
that the entire cannery output OF the
country has been, by forward con-
tracts. already sold and the output Of
this year turned over 10 the gamblers.
The obstructionists do not deny It;
what shall we do to them If they aid in
. carrying out the perfidy?
Secretary Houston insists on an elab-
crate survey. presumably by de
serving Democrats" who need jobs, to
IND out the things we already know,
meanwhile permitting the robbery to
hating OF the methods Of which we
have ample proofs in hand. Does Con-
gress confess itself incompetent to deal
with the situation by ANY means-food
control or other?
Alfred W. McCann's book, Thirty
Cent Bread" just published by the
Doran Co. says:
The Department Of Agriculture at
Washington informs US that Of the total
corn crop from IS to 30 per cent. Is fed to
animals on the farms and only 10 to Is
per cent. reaches the human family.
Ten per cent: Of 3,oC0,00o00O bushel
crop would be 800 0O0.0 C0 bushels a auan-
tty which checks UP almost to the bushel
with the curious and unproftable uses
20 which we see our corn products are
The crop reporting board Of the Bu-
reau OF Crop Estimates. Washington, re-
ports that we had less corn March /, 1917,
on our farms by 32.l43,0OO bushels than
we had March ]. 1916. But. we are rea-
sonaoly sure OF producing In the United
states during 1917. 2.5ooo0o.000 bushels of
corn.
We have not produced less than this
quantity in any, one year since 1907. In
bushels II is hardly probable that we
viii now fall below the lowest record Of
ten years.
Ordinarily We export about 100000 900
bushels OF corn annually. Even though
N isl. We should be called upon to ex-
port b0oNo,ooo bushels we would still have
FOR our own use 2ooo.00oooo bushels
In the manufacture of deeerminated
eornmeal we lose 8 per cent OF the pro-
TEN. . per cent. Of the fat and 60 per
cent OF the mineral salts of the whole
Grain. All the cornmeal Of the market
nlAce-the only cornmeal obtainable in
the grocery store, is degerminated bolt
ed, refined"
every year we convert into corn meal
IN the milling establishments Of the
United States an average Of 10000 OO0
which one-nfth, or 1900. oco bushels, Of
the most indispensable parts Of the kernel
are lost. These rejected substances are
sold for cattle food"
DO we need dictator to meet such
conditions as this. or would Mr. Hoover
as director and adviser. be sufficient
after Congress has disposed Of The
gamblers ard market manipulators nov
serving Germany:
Mr.. Hoover says that the -four spec
nlators alone have robbed consumers
Of $3.50, 900. 900 in extortionate prices
above a fair profit. in the recen,
drive" Mr.. Mccain says:
As we now conduct our milling pro-
cesees IL requires eight bushels of wheat
TO produce Ave bushels OF -four. Out OF
every unit OF eight bushels Of wheat three
bushels Of the most nourtshing and most
Indispensable elements of nutrition ara
rejected by man and turned over to
cattle.
bushels Of wheat. containing flfty-seven