The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-16
WHAT ABOUT IT?

Q
 Something is radically wrong between the corn crib and the kitchen. Corn lis quoted on the markets in Alabama at s1.so to s1.50 per bushel and hum dreds of farmers have corn for sale who are unable to get buyers at these prices. At the same time meal is be- 1 ing sold at retail in Motgomery and | other cities as high as seven cents Der pound, which is at the rate of ss.s6 per lbushel.
 The customary price for milling has lalways been eight pounds of corn or the difference between the weight Of busnel of corn and bushel of meal plus the cost of the sacks. We are informed that some commercial millers in the states are buying corn at S1.5o per busheI or less and selling the meal at s per bushei. If the value of the | toll is added to a profit of 50 cents, then the total mill profit is 80 cents lper busheI less the cost of sacks. To make the situation still worse, it ap- pears that dealers In the cities add another dollar per bushel as their profit for selling the meal in six and 12 pound paper bags. These condi- l tions and figures vary to some ex-
 tent when applied to different com munities, but In some communities and lin most of the cities they are approx
 imately correct.
 1 In view of the fact that we are forced by federal law for patriotic
 purposes to eat corn bread, which is absolutely right that we should, and lin view of the fact that Alabama has la bounteous supply of corn to feed | her people until the new harvest, the lconsuming public should demand of the Authorities, whose duty it is to admin | Iister the law, that this gross profi- lteering on meal be stopped. The toll 1 is sufficient profit for milling corn. Twenty cents per bushel for sacking and 10 to 20 per cent is enough for lretail profits. On this basis, the re- Itail price of meal should not exceed l5o to 55 cents per peck or s2 to $2.2o lper bushel.
 ! | have talked to the United States l food administrator for Alabama, who assures me that he is heartily in favor of any movement to stop speculation
 in bread material and to reduce the
 enormous margin between the price | Of corn ana the prlce ol IiiSdis HuNo discussed the matter with several coun- lty food administrators and find that the prices of meal vary from the eX-' ], change of a bushel of meal for bush el of corn as practiced by the small |rural mills under an agreement with l the food administrator to seven cents I per pound, or at the rate of s3.36 per bushel in some of the cities. fhe bounty food administrators in these
 
 1 that commercial meal was being pur- l chased by wholesalers at $3.S9 per hundred pounds. They assert that they have no knowledge of retailers selling rate equivalent to Sf per hun-
 dred pounds. They have no way of finding it out unless the people who lare made to pay these prices would report it to them. This, they should ido, if they want protection. The fact .ithat these charges do exist is evil l denced by a score of charge tickets l now in our possession which were picked up from residences by inspect ors of this department
 We are not after prosecuting any one. Our contention in the matter is purely to raise the price of corn or flower the price of meal in the interest of the stomachs and purses of the com Irnon people with whose loyalty and help we must win this war. I know of no speculation that approaches near
 CT to crime, than to exact excess profits from the bread of patriotic people who are bending every energy
 and making every sacrifice. to help the government win the struggle for democratic liberties and world freedom. Let the people demand that the laws
 regulating profiteers be rigidly ap- lplied to the Kaiser's allies who spec Iulate on the bread of sacrificing pat Irjots. !. A.. WADE. Commissione of Agriculture and In | dustry.