Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-03-22
INDEPENDENT
INTERVIEWS FOOD
ADMINISTRATOR
Assistant J. A. Wood Says
Conservation Conditions
Throughout State Mot What
They Should Be; Wheat Is
Being Hoarded For Unpa-
triotiC Purposes; Three
State Prosecutions Coming
UP
UP

The Independent man hunted up
Assistant Food Administrator j. a.
Wood at the Mayer hotel last night
and pumped him dry. Mr.. Wood pa
tiently answered question after ques-
tion and made known some startling
facts concerning food conditions eX-
listing despite the very strict regula-
tions laid down by the government
concerning its conservation.
1T is fact" said Mr.. Wood, that
America is called upon to furnish So
the allies this year 25O,0OO,O 900 bush.
els of wheat and that today we are
100000 bushels short of having
enough. From facts presented to me
while | have been in Elko know
that wheat is being boarded by men
in your own county for ulterior Dur-
poses and purposes for which the
government will not stand. Investi-
CATION OF these matters is going on
right now and when we have secured
proof sufficient to justify our doing
50 We will bring these cases into the
federal court with a rush. Three
prosecutions are now pending from
various parts OF the state. although
none as yet from Elko county, and
We are going for these people who
violate the law with every means at
our command"
Asked whether or not bakeries and
restaurants throughout the state
were generally observing the Jules
of the administration concerning
bread service, etc, Mr.. Wood replied
that as a general rule restaurants
and bakeries were conserving wheat
according to rule. In Reno" said
Mr. Wood. bakeries are using over
the per cent OF substitutes required
by the government in bread stuffs
and getting very satisfactory results
4 thorefrOm. Rice flour is making
valuable substitute. One French
bakery in Reno is making French
bread containing % per cent substi-
tutcs. This is a record in the state"
Mr.. Wood spoke very strongly of
the necessity for the saving of wheat
I'm fact, he said that the United
/ States was directing nearly all of its
/ efforts toward the saving of wheat
| There can be no speculation in
wheat" he said Gmphatlcally: you
/ people up here know that the govern
mCnt has set profit on wheat of fif-
teen per cent and that is all and If
you sell wheat for more than that
. you are breaking the law and are
subject TO prosecution therefor, and
II Is no light matter. either, when you
are convicted. You in ElkO county
have felt the war perhaps less than
any other place in the entire United
States. You are wealthy here, you
have not felt the real pangs of war
fare; It is time you began to wake
up. and so far as food speculation
and that sort of thing goes, II you
can't wake up yourselves the govern
ment will wake you up"
The writer spoke of having seer
instances Of waste food stuffs about
the city In the abstract. Mr. WOOD
impressed upon my mind that these
cases should be reported tp the fooC
administrator at Reno. cit is a Grim,
to waste food nowadays. legally ant
morally" he said. "our people ar,
doing a most roprehonsible thing fl
throwing away one scrap of food tha
could be utilized"
Mr.. Frank Middleton Of Elko ha
been appointed assistant food admir-
J, istrator for Elko and will have exclr
=. sivc charge Of such matters here.
: is the intention OF the food bureau [
n vigorously prosecute all violation
= OF the food laws. Business house
Of this city. according to Mr.. Woo,