Norwich bulletin., 1918-04-01

Washington, March s1.-Determina- ton of a national policy governing meat production, sale and distribution during the war, which may include virtual price fixing and definite control or actual federal operation of the big packing houses, has bee tptrusted by President Wilson to a special commits sion of five prominent government of ficials. This step. announced tonight, was taken at the recomme endation of Food Administrator Hoover, who ad- vised the president that he found him. l self powerleSs to protect properly all branches of the cattle industry. and that the governments present course | is almost .intolerable in criticism from both producer and consumer. Mir. Hoover asked that the president lextend to meat the policy initiated in isteel. copper and other commodities which are sold at prices fixed on the basis of conferences between producers and the government.
 Men to Determine Plan.
 {, The food administrator suggested, and President Wilson now has ap- proved, the plan that a national policy be determined by the following officers, lacting personally or through dele Igates: Secretary of agriculture, ,reprs- senting the viewpoint of the producer; 1.-the chairman of the federal trade commission, representing the influence Iof trade conditions; the chairman of lthe United Statss tariff board, repre- ! lsenting economic thought: the secrk- tary of labor, representing the view point N9f the civilian consumer, and the food administration, who has to Icarry out any policy adopted.
 | { HFt c-.,1Av fod 17fG to the president in "a letter outlining I at length the trials of his; organization in seeking to stimulate production and I at the same time to prevent the rob- l bery of the average citizen by prof iiteering. He declared some changes in the governments present course was necessary for the protection of the producer and civilian consumer land to insure the increased production required to meet the growing needs of the army and the allies.
 May Take Over Operation.
 This change. in policy may take the form of more definite and systematic
 direction of the large packers as s1 l the course they are to pursue from
 month to month," wrote the admins
 trator, Tor may even take the form oi operation of the packing establish
 
 Since the United States entered the
 war, allied purchases of meat for botf
 civilian and military purposes have , been consolidated, and it is becoming necessary for this. government to CO., i, ordinate them with orders for the 5 American army and navy to preven
 conflict in execution. The result. Mir
 Hoover said, is practical domination : of prices, which was recognized il 5 pork last September by rough assur, s ance to swine producers of a minimum of $15.50 for their product. Presen l indications are that beef purchase : Ewhere they may affect prices mate n trially.
 Increased Quantities Needed. Pointing out that increased quanti
 ties needed for export must be obtain
 ed either. by greater production or b. = lreduction in civilian consumption, ant s probably by both, MT. Hoover express ed the opinion that reduced consump . ton can be had most equitably b, voluntary sacrifice and moderate re
 straints such as meatless days ant = emphatically disapproved any attemp $ to lessen consumption by increasing C prices to the public.
 = Such conservation is obtained b. d the elimination of that section of tn Icommunity with the least purchasini power" he wrote the president. "Ii z other words, conservation by price be T comes conservation for the rich an o not for the poor; whereas an exten y Ision of the conservation policy now il 1T force places reduction in consumptio
 where it rightly belongs-on those wh can save from plenty, not upon thos h who save from nourishment.
 Voluntary Reduction Necessary.
 Tt appears to me also of the utmos . national importance that we shal maintain through the country com
 plete sense in voluntary reduction i
 the conservation of all commodities
 we! are to provide the necessary sur lpluses.. either in money, man power 0 '. material. necessary to winning the wal T recognize fully the well founde a but where the purchasers of war ne e cessities in a given commodity hay reached such a volume that the pur l. chase of these commodities trenc y Unto the domestic consumption, tn Q operation of this purchasing power be o comes a condition of price fixing anC E to my mind. all theories go by tn st board" D. MT. Hoover said three courses wer T. open in the matter of the control C
 meats: ,f
 The Three Courses Open. s' To abandon direction of war pur u chases and conservation measures be '-I cause they affect prices and thereb l. to simulate eprofiteering and specula " tion, cause wage discomfort and in Ie stability by subjecting the cost C ,s living to abnormal huctuation, an Ie destroy systematic saving in ~consump IT tion by individuals.
 d To continue as at the present nn 70 satisfactory direction of large, pun of Ichases with a mixture of partial na 'r tional policy in production and day f day dealing with energe1eE a<