The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-02-21
HOPE FOR HIGHER
WHEAT IN 1918
FeOd Administrator Hoover Recon-
mends that Price be Not Raised
Until July as this Might Hold
1917 Supply Which is Needed
Now.
(By Congressman p. D. Norton.)

Washington, D. c., Feb. 15.-About
enc hundred representatives of the
National Grain Growers League and
Of other national farmers organiza-
tions have been holding a series of
public meetings and conferences at
the National Hotel for the last ten
days. The purpose Of the assembling
of these delegates in Washington has
been to present to legislative and ad-
Ministrative officers of the govern
industry throughout the country, and
the particular present financial, legis-
lative and general economic needs of
the American farmers. Delegates
from all the farmers organizations
represented here have had, during the
week, special meetings and consulta-
tions with President Wilson, Secre-
tary of Agriculture Houston, and
Food Administrator Herbert G.. Hoov-
'er.
On February II large delegation
OF representative from Oklahoma,
Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota and Montana met with
Food Administrator Hoover in the
new Food Administration Building,
and urged upon him the advisability
of at this time fixing a price above
$500 bushel for the wheat crop of
1918, in order to stimulate and encour-
age the sowing next spring of the
largest possible acreage OF spring
wheat. Senator Gore and MIR. Hyde,
of Oklahoma, Representative Revis,
of Nebraska, Representative Steener-
son and Colonel March, of Minnesota,
Senator Myers and Representative
Evans, of Montana, and Senator Nc
Cumber and Representative Baer and
Norton, of North Dakota, addressed
Mr.. Hoover, presenting arguments in
favor of the suggestions submitted to
him by the delegation. Mr.. Hoover
expressed the fear that if price
above $500 bushel was fixed at this
time for the whsat crop of 1918, it
would result in the withholding from
market by farmers of large part of
the crop Of 1917, so that this wheat
might be disposed of at higher price.
He told the delegation that there
would be very great need for the use
of practically all Of the crop Of 1917
in this country during the next six
months, unless peace came within that
time, and made it possible to secure
wheat supplies from the large wheat
stocks now on hand in Australia and
Argentina. On account OF transpor-
tation difficulties, it is now practically
impossible for any wheat shipments
to be made to any of the European
countries from Australia or from
South America Australia, which has
surplus of about 225 million bushels
Of wheat, is now shipping on sailing
vessels and SLOW going steamers cross
ing the Pacific, about three million
bushels Of wheat month to the
United States AS only steamships
having a speed in excess of twelve
knots an hour have very much chance
Of passing safely through the subma-
the world shortage Of fast freight
carrying steamships, has been quite
effectively cut off during the war from
marketing her surplus supply of
wheat. Mr.. Hoover took the position
that it would be better, from the view
point Of the Food Administration, to
fix the price Of the 1918 wheat crop
about the first Of next July, when it
would then be known, with reasonable
certainty, what the wheat production
for the year would be. The $500 a
bushel minimum price that has been
already guaranteed by the govern
ment for the wheat crop of 1913 would
not, Mr.. Hoover stated, be necessarily
considered maximum price to be set
by the price fixing committee when it
met to fix the price for this crop.
Bills were introduced on February
13 in the Senate by Senator Gore of
Oklahoma for fixing minimum guar
anteed price of $3.50 bushel for the
wheat crop Of 1918, and by Senator
NcCumber of North Dakota for fixing
the price at $2.75 a bushel. On the
same day bill was introduced in the
House Of Representatives by myself
for fixing the guaranteed price of
wheat for this years crop at $500 a
bushel.
President Wilson has ordered al
special investigation to be made by
the Attorney General Of the ship
building scandals which have been dis
closed in hearings before the Senate
in connection with the location and
construction of large ship building
yards at Hog Island, near Philadel-
phia. It is hoped that the investiga-
ton will result in the big profiteering
hogs at Hog Island being summarily
put on short rations and under close
guard by the 4Overnment. The tre-
mendously important work Of ship
building to meet our needs and the
needs Of our Allies in the war, must
go on at top speed. It should not be
permitted to be delayed or retarded
by uncomfortable looters Of the pub
lie treasury.
Some months ago, in speaking in
the House, ! asserted that the North
Dakota troops were composed Of real
fighting men and predicted that in
this war, as in the Spanish American