The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-02-14
SENATORS TAKE UP QUES-
TION OF PRICES OF PROD
UCTS
Corn More Profitable
Than Wheat
Whole Question Will be Investi-
gated With View of Taking
Such Action as May be Consid-
cred Advisable.

WASHINGTON, Feb 14-Alarmed !
as never before since the war began
ever the prospect of a worldwide
famine, congress today turned its at
aention to the formation of a program
of drastic legislation to stimulate ag
ricultural production at almost any
cost.
Senators from the leading agrlcul-
turai states, deluged with reports
showing the most unfavorable condi-
tion of the food producing outlook
warned their colleagues today that the
time has come to throw off reserve
and to treat the food situation as an
emergency question.
The unequal relation between farm
and city, disturbing even before the
war began, has been intensified by the
Capitalization of population resulting
from the attraction of workers from
the country to the munition manufac-
turing centers. The enlistment and
drafting of men to the army has in
creased the seriousness of the prob
lem Labor prices have become al
most prohibitive in some rural sec
tions of the country.
All these questions are to be gone
into thoroughly by the senate agri-
had before it today the measures in
troduced yesterday by Senator Gore,
of Oklahoma, increasing the minimum
price of wheat to $3.50 and by Sen
ator McCumber Of North Dakota,
boosting the price to $2.75 a bushel.
It called before it as witnesses to-
day, farmers, livestock raisers, men,
bers of the state food administration,
and various other persons having to
do with the food question to learn the
truth about the situation and to en-
deavor to determine the best possible
remedy.
In fixing a new wheat price stand
ard the committee was confronted by
a two-fold problem. 1t is seeking to
guarantee the farmer a price high
enough to stimulate wheat production
10 the utmost degree but at the same
, time it is trying to keep the guarantee
price within a limit that will not JUS
tify an increase in the cost of bread
Members of the committee regarC
their task as one of the most delicate
now before the nation-how to pro
duce the highest production of whea
and still keep bread prices down tt
the present level.
The American farmer will stop rails
ing wheat and turn his attention t.
growing other cereals, Senator Nc
Cumber predicted today, unless high
er wheat prices, are guaranteed.
Farmers can raise four times al
much corn on a given acreage as the.
can wheat" said Senator McCumber
-'They are getting So for wheat. The.
can get $1.75 for corn. They want t.
be patriotic but with labor price
soaring to incredible heights it will
become a question of self preservation
with them"
Senator McCumber today told O
cases where farm workers, durin
harvest rush who were getting $500
day, struck for $24 a day. He declaI
ed that in Idaho, girls and boys wer
paid from Sc to $40 day for diggin
potatoes in order that they would NJ
rot
Senator Gore, chairman of the agr
cultural committee declared farmer
would be forced to plow up winte
wheat and SOW corn unless they wei
guaranteed prices high enough
meet the increased cost of labor Sci
ator Kenyon predicted that Americ
was headed straight for a meat fan
inc" unless production is stimulate
Meanwhile efforts were being mao
in the interstate commerce commi
tee to get favorable action on Sen;
tor Pomerenes bills, endorsed
Herbert c. Hoover, making wheatlel
and meatless days compulsory. TT
measure has met with vigorous opp
sition, but in view of the despera
need of conservation hopes were el
tertained today that it would be re
commended soon for prompt passag
TWIN FALLS ROYS WIN