Evening star., 1917-10-30
FULLF00D CONTROL
|. TO BEGIN THURSDAY
Herbert Hoover Ready to En-
force Law Governing Busi-
nesses of 100000.
CAN REGULATE SUPPLIES

After a little more than ten weeks
given over largely to the building up of
comprehensive organization with rami-
feations in every part of the United
States and its territories, Herbert c.
Hoover, named, last August as food ad-
ministrator of the United States, will
begin Thursday to exercise the full pow
ers given him by Congress.
After that day. in keeping with a
proclamation by President Wilson prac-
tically all middlemen handling food
stuffs, as well as all retailers doing
business in excess of 100000 a year.
will be allowed to operate only under
licenses issued by the President. In
the event that the licensees fail to fol-
low the rules for conducting their busi-
ness as laid down by the food admin
istration. their licenses may be revok-
ed. and the law provides that criminal
prosecutions may follow where evil
dence of boarding or of speculation in
violation of the Presidents order can
be obtained.
Powers Not So Broad.
Mr.. Hoover's powers are not as broad
as are those of DR.. H. A. Garfield. the
fuel administrator, for he has no direct
retailer. One government official re-
marked that Congress tied his hands
and feet and then told him to use his
head" But through the wholesaler and
jobber the food administrator can con-
troll the small retailer by regulating his
source of supply, and a statement made
public by the food administration to-
day says:
violation Of the food control act, puts
excessive prices on necessary foods
will be able to obtain supplies, under
new regulation drawn by the food
administration which goes into effect
November /.
Under this regulation. no manufac-
turer, wholesaler or other handler of
food will be allowed to sell to any re-
taller anywhere in the United States
who makes unreasonable profits or
buys large quantities Of foods for spec
ulatfve purposes.
This is ono OF the most sweeping of
the many safeguards against high
prices which will be incorporated in the
licensing sytsem. for which the COM
plete rules and regulations will be an
nounced within a few days.
VIII Report Violations.
''The organization Of the federal food
administrator in each state will be on
the watch and send to the food admin
istration at Washington the names of
retailers asking excessive prices.
The food administration does not in
tend to disturb any legitimate opera
tions. and will initiate these measures
against only hardened and persistent
vtolators of the law. It takes the POSI-
ton that the great majority Of food
sellers. retail as well as wholesale, are
patriotic and honest and are making
ness principles and to sell to the con-
sumer at the lowest possible prices
Such dealers will be protected from IL
legitimate competition. Those few who
persist In abusing their opportunities
and taking advantage Of the emergency
caused by the war will receive at
tention."
An important step In food control In
anticipation OF the new order effective
November I, was announced fodav IN
the appointment Of ]. P. Cotton Of New
York as head Of the meat division OF
the food administration. His head
quarters will be in Chicago, and he win
cooperate with II. A. Wheeler. food
administrator for Illinois
Under Direct Supervision.
BEGINNING Thursday. all packing
doing
a business of more than 100000 a year
will be under direct supervision Of MI.
Cotton. The regulations under the IL
censes. says the announcement Of the
administration. are being formulated to
allow fair profit to the packer and to
protect the grower and consumer.
Ihree committees have been appoint
ed to aid Mr.. Cotton in his work. in
Guiding committee on hogs. a COM
mittee on cattle and q committee to
study the cost of hog production and
methods for its stimulation. The mem
bership of these committees Include
some of the best known live stock men
and agricultural experts in the coun-
try.
Another regulation effective Thursday
Is that governing Gamers Of foodstuffs,
and which will check speculation in
canned goods. The sale Of futures in
canned corn, peas. tomatoes, salmon
and sardines before February 1 Is mo-
hfbited. and Gamers will not be allowed
to oversell their estimated output,
Stringent regulations affecting cold
storage houses also will become effec-
tive next Thursday, after which date
only such storage houses as have been
licensed will be allowed to continue In
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