The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1918-09-27
PROTECTS AGAINST
THE SPECTATORS
PRICE OF s2.2o FOR WHEAT NOT
INTENDED TO BRIDE FARMERS
WITH DREAMS OF WEALTH.
NOW IS TIME FOR SERVICE
James !. Finney, Assistant Federal
Food Administrator Of Tennessee
Addresses rarmsrS Convsn-
ton OF West Tennessee.

Jackson, TeAn.--Bstors the Farm
ers' Convention Of West Tennessee,
James |. Finney. Assistant Federal
Food Administrator Of Tennessee,
made an earnest and eloquent defense
OF the Food Administration, declaring
hat It's achievement IN turning q food
deficit into food surplus was. to date,
Americas greatest contribution to the
cause Of democracy and humanity. Mr..
chimney spoke, In part, as follows:
THE price OF wheat was fixed at
1920 not to bride the farmers of this
nation with dreams Of wealth or to
satiats their avaric0as appetites for
gain. but 1t was fixed at that price be-
cause 1t was believed that II would
guarantee them protection against the
speoulator and would at least insure
them fair return for their expendi.
lure OF brain and Drawn and capital,
while ct the same time giving bread,
the great staff OF life, to the millions
II workers who are not producers Of
food, but whose efforts In the nations
behalf are absolutely essential for Ito
existence. The Food Administration
has sought to deal fairly and Justly
between the farmers and the consum.
RS. II has denied, and | deny with
III the emphasis at my command, that
the farmers Of America ask special IA
Vors OF the government; they would
be the first to resent the imputation,
furthermore, in order to meet the
,xigencies Of our allies. there has been
Consolidated into one buying agency
he purchasing power for 100, 000, 900
If people. q phenomenon never before
Witnessed in the entire economic his
DRY Of the world, for II was obvious
ha. with shortage Of shipping and
rationing system In effett through.
nut those nations II would not do to
'russ the purchasing to the ordinary
gencies OF trade. We have furnished
turing the past rear half of the food
hat has been consumed by 100. oo0. 900
-<or.--> In addition, We have had to
ooncentrate in one agency the pur-
chase Of food supplies for from 5000.
200 to 5000 900 men under arms. 1t
ould not be otherwise, for It 10 un-
hinkabls that enc agency Of the gov.
rnmsnt would be permitted to 20 into
ne markets and bid for the same com.
oddities In opposition to the other
agencies OF the same government. It
Il also equally vnthinkahls that we
,hnv.ld Ia ~ata~k ~..v a1itAa ~,hAw :.
ne president has we'll said. We must
cat at Q comsioA table
Therefore. that these buying agsn.
les might not become rivals and get
1to each others way. It has been
scessary to consolidate them under
ne control. Hence. in the final analy.
q, we found ourselves with this most
tsantie monopoly In buying, and nee.
sgarily with the power either to make
or Tremendously influence prices.
1T 10 true that II ID price fixing
ter manner never before contsm.
lated in the economic history OF the
'orld, ana necessarily all our old the
lies Of price fixing through the ope-
alton Of the ancient law Of supply
nd demand HAD to 80 the way Of all
esh, at least during this great up.
eava. In such situation It was alb
,lutely necessary that the govern.
,ent, through tbs Food Administra.
ON, should stabilize prices and fire.
uently exert IN Influence that
amounted to price fixing. Only the
price Of wheat has actually been arbi-
-rari!y fixed, but the price OF pork and
Indirectly many other food commodi
lies has been very gr ~ Influenced
Wy this volume Of buying exercised
through one agency.
Nov the government faced this
alternative. II could have purchased
me commodities needed for our allies,
ought the supplies necessary for the
army and navy in total disregard OF
he rights OF our civilian population,
either Of the consumer or the produc.
ar. That would have meant that after
the governments agency had taken
care Of the needs OF the allies and our
military esta blishment, then the 70.
mainder. an amount under ordinary
consumption. admittedly grossly mad.
squate, would have gone to the high
est bidders among our civilian popula.
ton. This would have meant conssrva.
ton for the rich, those able 70 offer
the highest bids; II would have meant
suffering and want among tLe less for.
tunate, and It would have brought
about such an orgy Of speculation o.
the world had never contemplated.
THE flow Of food commodities from
the producer to the consumer 10 sea.
sonabls. 1t II subject to many vicis-
STUDIES Of transportation and weather.
Temporary shortages would have led
to q debauch OF speculation, hence the
absolute necessity for price stabilize
ton. We have tried to DO fair to our
heroic allies: We have tried to furnish
them supplies at fair and Just price;
We have tried to be fair to the great
masses Of our civilian population. both
the producer and consumer
ITO my mind, the achievement Of
tho Food Administration OF the United
States during the first year Of its OK.
lstence. in turning food deficit into
\ food surplus, to date, Americas
greatest contribution to the cause Of
democracy and humanity. Although,
rs you all know, crop failures were
general last year throughout the
Northern Hemisphere, America made
The smallest wheat crop II has made In
/ generation.
"Basing our consumption on the pre-
war basis, We actually had for export
irom our harvest OF 1917 ittls over
100000 bushels Of wheat That