The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-19

Not a single national trade associa- tion, Hoover told the senators, is op- posed to the food control bill. The prospective food administrator went to the capital early today te explain the bill informally to senators in the hope that a full understanding of it's ob- jects and purposes may allay some of the opposition.
 Mr. Hoover outlined broadly the question of prospective food supplies.
 The real question: he said in a prepared statement. preliminary to senatorial questioilfng, rsfs whether the shortage will continue next year and what will be the needs of the Allies and America. Despite the reduced consumption of the Allies, they will require larger amounts of cereals next year than ever before.
 "Nhe Allies are dependent on North America for the vast majority of their food products. We should be able to supply 60 per cent. of what they re- quire. The 40 other per cent must be made up by further denial on their part and saving on ours. We can in- crease our surplus. The situation for them next year means increased pri- vatdons Without an adequate food supply no European population will SCiI1lHoC tO duu we SuOufQ 1l11Q ourselves alone against Germany.
 The Russian revolution was food riot, and even that ally is temporarily paralyzed. Responsibility rests on government for failure of democracy through shortage of zfood''
 Turning to- domestic conditions, MT Hoover said this, country has been ex- periencing Unprecedented prices and rampant speculation ,,' citing how mid- de men and all other persons in tie distribution processes have been pur- chasing increased supplies to avert in- dividual shortages.
 MT. Hoover cited the canning trade as an example, where the entire out. put of vegetables and fish for 1917 has been disposed of before 1t has reached the canners. He predicted further high prices. Thousa nds of men hs said, who heretofore have never own ed a, dollars worth of foodstuff, art now speculating in necessaries.
 The average prices to the consum CTS in countries where food admins tratfon is now in effect are lower thar those now prevailing in the United States,' he said. Tn England the price of bread is 25 per cent. below the price we pay. I believe that un less some administration of our food i taken we shall look back at thest prices as being moderate.''
 MT. Hoover denied that the bill es tab1ishes a food dictatorship. H. characterized the purposes of food ad ministration as to mobilize the peopl, in order to carry out the advice give1 them by the government officials ant to decentralize the functions of tn, administration in order to centraliz, the functions of, the food administra ton into the various states.
 A commission to take charge O production and distribution of flour sugar and possibly a few other prin ipal commodities, MT. Hoover said, il contemplated.
 Provisions for the government tt buy and sell comm odities will be nee essary for use only as to very few prime commodities. he said. ''Tht aim is to stabilize prices and thu eliminate speculation. The balance wheel for stabilizing price is gone. w need an artificial balance wheel. B! setting up a. wheat commission We car buy wheat, regulate it's storage ana transportation and handle it until ex ported or sold in this country. If w do not do this wheat prices may re lapse on account of our not being abl' to store and carry it, with speculator securing the sole benefit and farmer bearing the loss.
 "We can contract tomorrow witt | the Allies for a certain return fo every bushel of wheat we can sell By controlling prices at interior ter minals' we can assure millers thei supplies and simplify transportation.
 As to sugar, MT. Hoover said Amer ican refiners are competing with tn Allies in Cuba and that the proposes sugar commission could co-operat with the Allied purchasers. the Am erican refiners and Cuban producers stabilizing and reducing prices as wei as removing speculative incentives