The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-11-03

ministration favors ten-doIlar hogs,
according to a telegram just received
by Dr. H J. Waters, food administra-
tor for Kansas, from Herbert Hoover
The food administration viii not
fix the price at which the farmer will
sell his stock, but it does have the du-
ty of directing export purchases and
will use that power to make prices
stable and Tenumerative to the farm
ers.
The telegram to Mr.. Hoover was in
response to a message containing the
resolutions unanimously adopted by
the Kansas conference son hog pro-
duction. These resolutions pledged
support to the government but urged
that if fixing of hog prices were
necessary all factors entering into
the cost of production be controlled,
and the price of hog products be fixed
in proportion to the cost of hogs to
the packers. The hog raisers also
asked that action be taken to prevent
violent fluctuation in the market pric-
es of hogs.
Mr.. Hoover's message follows:
'FThis department has repeatedly
stated that it has no intention to fix
the price at which the farmer sells
his stock. The food administration
does, however, have the duty of di-
recting export purchases of beef and
pork products and we propose to use
that power to stabilize the prices and
to support renumerative prices to the
farmer.
81 have appointed committee of
important hog men to advise ]. P.
Cotton, the head of our meat division,
on this and other marketing matters
h0 lot of
the packing industry. l have also
asked another committee to advise Us
from time to time as to the cost of
production of hogs in order that we
may clearly demonstrate to the Amer
lean consumer the increased cost of
production and the necessity for in
creased products over pre-war nor
mails. [ have also asked represen-
tative committee of cattle raisers to
sit as an advisory committee to Mr..
Cotton's meat division in problems
effecting their industry in relation to
marketing and regulating of the
packing industry. All of this has
been conceived in an effort to protect
and stimulate live stock industry.
81 wish to call your attention to
certain propaganda in the country
stimulated by pro-German and anti
war source intended to discourage
and mislead the live stock grower
whose increased activity is vital to
our national cause. For instance, a
ton favors ten dollar hogs has been
widely circulated by insidious means
in many states We have given every
publicity to the absurdity of such
statements but it seems impossible to
catch up with these rumors and de-
liberate disturbances to the public
mind. 1t must be obvious to any
thinking man that even if we had
the power to do such thing it would
be grievously unfair to the farmer
and the height of folly from the point
of view of national interest. This
sort of rumor is not only promulgat-
ed in connection with food matters
but in an attempt to defeat other
governmental activities such as the
assembling of the army and national
finance. l believe those vicious at
temps to destroy our national eff
cheney in war are responsible for the
unrest of which you speak.
''The profits of the meat packers
are to be limited and their business
rigidly controlled. The limitation of
profits will be announced before No
vember 1st 1t believe it sound
business for every farmer to increase
hog production for 1918 as much as
possible. l am sure that the nation
needs that increase to help win the
war"
"Movie" Exhibitors are Patriotic
Washington, D. c., October %,
1917.-The United States Civil Ser
vice Commission has received an ex-
preston of the patriotism of prac-
tically all the exhibitors of motion
pictures in the United States. The
Government is in need of thousands
of typewriter operators and steno-
graphers of both sexes for war work
in Washington, and through its 5000
local board of examiners in that
many cities, the Commission request
ed the owners and managers of mo-
ton picture theatres to allow free of
charge an announcement on their
screens of this need of not more than
a hundred of the 5000 odd exhibitors
who were approached declined to
render to the people the service asked.
Even those con not be charged with
disloyalty; most of them held decided
views as to their duty to their patrons
who pay for entertainment only. The
only criticism of the Government
came from these exhibitors who de-
clined on the ground that is was pro-
posed to place a tax on motion pic
ture tickets. One owner asked remun-
Grafton in the sum of 25 cents a week
and another stipulated that he was to
be relieved of any responsibility of
any damage to the slide furnished by
the Government. The slides cost less
than ten cents a piece. Almost
without exception the 'moVie" men
were not only willing, but were even
eager to serve the Government in the
manner requested. This hearty re-
Spouse from 10000 business men rep
resentative of every part of the coun-
try has striking significance 1t is
interesting to note in this connection
that the estimated daily attendance
at motion picture shows in the United
States is ten million. This allows an
average of 500 for each house.
Europe's Industrial Armies
When the war ends in Europe
there will be turned back to the in