The sun., 1918-07-13
WILSON VETOES
$40 WHEAT AS
UNSOUND POLICY
Would Upset Financial Re-
latiOnshipS of Allies.
He Says.
APPEALS TO FARMERS
Believes They Will See Pa
triOtic Reasons for Avoid
ing Price Fixing.
APPEALS TO FARMERS
Speciai Despatch to TIE suS


ot farmers receiving basic price of
$40 a busf Ell for wheat went glimmer-
ing to-day, when the President sent to
Congress his veto OF the agricultural ap-
rropriation carrying the wheat price as
an amendment With the prospect Of
hgl er wheat price there also went glim-
mering the certainty that -four will
cost $3.50 a barrel at the mills instead
Of sl0.5O a barrel as at present.
The House adopted s2.40 wheat a
week ago by vote OF $50 TO lo6.
A perfunctory effort was made to pass
the bill over the Presidents veto. Chair
man Lever IS. c. of the House Com
mttee on Agriculture asked for "the
regular order" after TIE veto message
was read. which meant putting the ques-
ton up to the House whether the bill
should pass despite the veto.
House Thrown Into Uproar.
Immediately the House was thrown
into an uproar. proponents OF the higher
price trying to obtain adjournment but
falling. Finally a motion OF no quorum
was made and the roll call disclosed that
only 20s answered-not a quorum-and
Il was not possible to do anything with
TIE measure to-day.
The veto message follows:
ITO the House of Representatives:
Il regret to return without my sigma
ture SO important a measure as FL. r.
9O54. entitled An act making appro-
priatlons for the Department of Agri-
culture for TIE fiscal year ending June
30, 1919 but 1 feel constrained to do so
Ties ant frnr
the point Of view Of principle as well'as
OF wise expediency. from the provision OF
that part of section IA which prescribes
uniform minimum price for No Z
Northern spring wheat of $2.40 bushei.
Il dissent upon principle because be-
lieve that such inelastic legislative price
provisions are insusceptible of being ad-
mnistered In a way that would be ad-
vantageous either to the producer or to
the consumer. establishing as they do
arbitrary levels which are quite inde-
pendent OF the normal market condi-
tons and because ! believe that the
present methods of regulating by con-
ference with all concerned has resulted
in the most satisfactory manner, CON
s.derng the complexity and variety OF
the subject matter dealt with.
Production stimulated.
TT is evident that the present method
Of determining the price to be paid ior
wheat has had the most stimulating ef-
feet upon production, the estimated crop
Of spring wheat for this year exceeding
all high records In a very remarkable
and gratifying way.
by an overwhelming majority OF the
farmers of the United States the price
sdm!nistratively fixed has been regarded
ae fair and liberal. and objections to 1t
have come only from those sections y
the country in which unfortunately It
has in recent years proved impossible to
depend upon climatic conditions to pro-
duce full crop OF wheat, and where.
therefore. many disappointments to the
farmers have proved to be unavoidable.
Personally l do not believe the farm
ers OF the country depend upon the
stimulation of price to d. tnelr utmost
to serve the nation and the world at
this time of crisis by exerting them
selves to an extraordinary degree 10
produce the largest and best crops pos
slble. Their patriotic spirit in this mat
has shown them playing a most admira-
be and gratifying part in the full
mobilization of the resources OF the
country.
To very greatly increased produc-
uon Of wheat they have added an In
creased production OF almost every other
important grain 70 that our granaries
are likely to overflow and the anxiety of
the nations arrayed against Germany
with regard to their food supplies has
been relieved.
Would Destroy feasibility.
THE administrative method of agree
Ing upon price has this very great ad-
vantage which any element OF rigidity
would in large part destroy, namely the
advantage OF fiexibility Of rendering pos.
sbe at every stage and in the view OF
every change Of experience a readJust'
ment which will be fair alike to producer
and consumer.
"A fixed minimum price Of S2.40 pei
bushel would, 1t 10 estimated. add u
per barrel to the price Of -four; In other
words raise the price OF flour from the
present price Of 310.50 at the mills &c
'l2.50 at the mills. and inasmuch as va
are anticipating a crop Of approximately
soo000.000 biishels of wheat this In
crease would be equivalent to the I'm
mense sum OF ss7.00o.ooo.
Such an increase Of the price o.
wheat in the United States would forcs
corresponding increase In the price o.
Canadian wheat The Allied Govern
meHls would Of course be obliged te
make all OF their purchases at ths In
Creased figure and the whole scale oi