The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-09-03

Present Minimum Price Re-
tanned For 1919.
S2.39 IN PHILADELPHIA
The President Hints of Possible Peace
in 1920 in Setting the Figure For
the Crop Next Year.

the Crop Next Year
Washington. Sept. By procInma
ton. President Wilson sci $50 Il
hushel rs HE minimum prir" @UarAn
teed by The government for The 1919
wheat crop.
4 diSinterested commission. the
president stated will h" appointed
next spring to see whether tn" incrr!,'
ed cost Of farm labor and supplies
would Justify an increase above tha.
price.
Possibility of peace before the mid
die of 1920 was indicated in Il memo
randum written by the president and
accompanying the proclamation as :;
factor IN determination of the pres.
dent To nrninrain The present price fen
the 1919 crop.
I'm giving Il guarantee price f"r
wheat one year in advance Che oni'
industry guaranteed by the govern
mpnt) there is involved consider
able national risk. the prrSiden
said. IF there Shuuld be peace at
Increased shipping available before
the middle Of 1920 Europe naturally
will supply itself from the large store
of cheaper wheat now in the southern
hemisphere: and. therefore, the GOV
eminent is undertaking Il risk which
might in such an event result in a ma
tional loss of as much as S500.0oO.non
through an unstable surplus; or in
any event. in maintaining a high level
Of price to our own people for long
period subsequent TO freedom in The
worlds markets"
The proclamation fixes as reason
able guaranteed prices for No. Nor
thern spring wheat and its equivalen'
at the principal primary markets the
following:
New York. 2391a Philadelphia.
$3.50: Baltimore and Newport News
$685. Duluth. S2.2212 Minneapo-
lis. 22lii Chicago, S2.26; st. Louis
S224: Kansas City and Omaha, 50. ::
New Orleans and Galveston. S22S ::
Tacoma. Seattle. Portland, Astoria
San Francisco and Los Angeles. 50 ::
L
and Spokane. 5000"
The presidents memorandum says ::
in issuing the governments guar
antee of the same price for the 1919
wheat crop that was guaranteed for
the 1918 crop. l wish it to be under
stood that in the spring of 1919 | will
appoint Il diSinterested commission
who will secure for me rhe facts by
that time disclosed as to the increas
ed cost of farm labor and supplies
using the three-year pre-war average
prices of wheat, of labor, of supply
costs as "A basis, and that from this
information | shall determine whether
there should be an increase in price
above the present level, and, if'>sG-
what advance, in order to maintaHl
for the farmer a good return.
SHOULD it then appear that an in
crease is deserved over the present
guarantee. however, it will be applied
only to those who have by next har-
vest already marketed their 1918
wheat
1T is the desire and intention of all
departments of the administration to
give TO the wheat grower a fair and
stimulative return in order that the
present acreage in wheat may he
maintained.
"In giving a guarantee price for
wheat one year in advance (the only
industry guaranteed by the govern
ment). there is involved a consider
able national risk If there should be
peace or increased shipping available
before the middle of 1920, Europe will
naturally supply itself from the large
stores of much cheaper wheat now in
the southern hemisphere; and. there
fore the government Is undertaking
a risk which might in such an event
result in national loss of as much
as S5O0,00O,000 through an ursable
surplus: or, in any event, in maintain
ing high level of prices to our own
people for long period subsequent TO
freedom in the worlds markets.
Il feel confident that with this pre-
liminary fixed guarantee and with the
assurance that justice will in any
event be done to the grower. he will
continue the fine patriotic effort by
which he has served the country hith-
erto: that the government will have
acted prudently, and that the consum-
er will be satisfied that his Interests
are not unduly sacrificed, but just
and exhaustive consideration given
to every element of the matter at the
proper time"