French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1917-05-10
BILL TO MEET FOOD ISSUE.

Ihn. -FEN
Facing a food famine in the United
States and with England, France, Italy
and Russia asking for bread, it is little
wonder that the Washington govern
ment has requested of Congress lab
solute authority to regulate in its dis
erection the production, distribution
and prices of food and other necessi-
ties during the ar" The admins
tration measure would empower the
president, under the war clause of the
Constitution, to fix the minimum and
maximum prices of food, clothing, fuel
and,other n~ecessaries, and the articles
required for the production of these
comodities and if necessary to requisi-
ton the producing factories, mines or
other establishments; to compel the
holders of necessities to release them
in amounts insuring equitable distribu-
ton; to regulate exchanges in such a
way as to eliminate market manipula-
tons; to compel railroads to give.pre-
ference to the movement Of necessi-
ties; to levy such importation duties
as he finds necessary to prevent ex-
cessive dumping" of foreign products;
and to impose limitations or prohibi-
lions upon the use of grain in the man
u~facture of grain.
This sweeping bill that is destined
to meet the food situation would also
empower the Secretary of Agriculture
to establish food standard grades. to
license and control the manufacture,
storage and distribution of foods, to
prescribe the percentage of -four to be
milled from wheat, and to regulate the
mixing of wheat -four with other 1ou~
in the making Of bread and other ar
ticies of food. The administration
sees the urgent need of economy and
realizes that only the s~trictest regu-
lation will accomplish results the
gravity of the situation demands of the
factory and the farm, in the crisis
which confronts the country. In TAX
ing time by the forelock the President
has done we'll. The bill he proposes
will be far-reaching in effect and he
may confidently expect the earnest and
active cooperation of the American
people in the enforcement of it's man
dates.
Warren G.. Hoover, who has been the
head of the Belgium Relief Commission
for a long while, is to be first aid in
the supreme effort to adjust food con
ditiOns in this country and abroad.
But unless there is surplus for distri-
button Mr.. Hoover's SERVICES may not
be needed very badly. He has pender-
ed a great service to humanity in his
relief work and the government is for
tunate in the assurance of his wisdom
and experience for the execution of the
plans proposed for the war period nov
rapidly approaching.
In the present circumstances. thu
too strong. Farmers need not be told
that the demand for their products next
year will be much greater than usual.
And the wise ones are going to make
hay while the sun Shines" Every
~able-bodied man who is willing to worE
will experience little difficulty this year
in securing employment. The "furrow
brigade" is being modified rapidly
and a determined charge will doubtless
soon be made upon the fertile fields
of the South and West. And the fell
low who is not willing to learn his
bread in the sweat of lis face" ought
to go hungry. The rich and poor alike
are calling to "the colors' and every
real patriot will respond. When thu
season of 1917 shall approach the end
let it not be said "the harvest truly ii
great, but the laborers are few" Fol
"by their fruits ye shall know them"