The Pascagoula chronicle., 1918-12-28
MUST OBSERVE FOOD
CONTROL REGULATIONS.

served, with the exception of regula-
tions removed by official orders, warns
P. M. Harding, Federal food admins
traitor for Mississippi. Simply because
the food administration forces have
been reduced is no cause for belief that
it's activities have ceased he says.
. Following is the letter from Mr..
Harding as sent to the county food
administrators of this state:
"The United States food administra-
ton at Washington wired me that the
reduction in the food administration
forces and the withdrawal Of many
of it's rules and regulations have given
the impression in some quarters that
all its activities have ceased. or are
shortly to cease; this is not the case.
The act imposes upon the administra-
ton certain obligations which continue
until presidential proclamation will re-
lease us from the food control act, and
particularly the obligations to curb
profiteering and speculation in licensed
food commodities. This function must
continue to be performed and there is
no intention of relaxation in its Oper
alton. 1t has been possible, now that
peace is assured, to cancel many re-
quirements, such as reports and many
of the details of the regulation, but
the profit margins and rules have been
for the most part retained and will
be enforced by revocation of licenses
and other appropriate penalties.
1t is expected that it will be possible
from time to time to remove certain
commodities from the license list, but
this will be limited to such as do not
seem likely to be subject to specula-
ton and profiteering.
"The food control does not end with
reduction of food administration frees
as SINE may imagine. The volunteers
who have assisted in enforcing the
regulations are so thoroughly patri-
otic that the food administration has
confidence that the conscience of the
public has been raised to such point
that they will assist the administra-
tion in enforcing reasonable require
ments and should say digress from
the we'll beaten path laid out by the
food administration report to this
office of such depression will be given
careful attention.
inspectors have visited many Of
the retail merchants in the state and
secured records of their cost of goods
and the prices at which they are SELL
ing them. These reports are on file
for future use and any points whore \
grave violations may be discovered
will be sufficient cause for referring
such infringements to Washington to
be passed upon by the enforcement
division and penalties may be imposed
upon such violators. Instead of the
payment of fines by those who may
have disregarded the food require
ments, the sole and only penalty may
be the closing of the concern for the
of the interval Of time un-
til the signing of peace with Germany
by revoking the license of the whole
saler, or the placing of the retailer on
the unfair list, which will prevent
hem from obtaining supplies.
"The food control proper will con-
,inue until the very last moment, as
he county and local food administra-
.ors throughout the state have pledged
themselves to serve until they receive
heir honorable discharge from Presi-
lent Wilson, and Mr.. Herbert Hoover,
United States food administrator and
hose leaders both intimate that this
discharge will no be granted until the
work is at an end"
G