South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-24
WILSON FIXES NEW PRICE
ON 1918 WHEAT CROP

ON 1918 WHEAT CROP
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)
commodity that enters into COM
merciaI overseas traffic. II has,
consequently been necessary to es-
tablish single agencies for the pur-
pose Of the purchase Of the food
supplies which must 90 abroad. The
purchase Of wheat in the United
States for foreign use is of so great
volume in comparison with the
available domestic supply that the
price Of wheat has been materially
disturbed and it became necessary
in order to protect both the pro-
Queer and the consumer, to prevent
speculation. 1t was necessar' there
fore for the government to exercise
a measure of direct supervision ds
Tar as possible 10 control purchases
of wheat and the processes of rs
expectation. This supervision nee
essarily amounted 10 price fixing
and 1 therefore deem it fair and
wise thar there should be a price
stated that should be at once liberal
and equitable.
Farmer Next to Soldier.
''Those peculiar circumstances
governing the handling and con-
sumption of wheat put the farmer
at the very center of war service.
Next to the soldier himself, ne is
serving the country and the world
and serving 1t in a war, which is
absolutely fundamental to his own
future safety and prosperity. He
sees this and can be relied upon as
me soldier can.
The farmer is also contributing
men to The army and 1 am keenly
alive TO the sacrifices involved. Out
of 13,SO0,C00 men engaged in farm
Industries 10000 have been draft
cd or about las per cent Of the
whole number. In addition TO thee
there have been volunteers and the
farmers have lost considerable
number of laborers because the
wages paid in industrial pursuits
drew them away. In order to re-
lieve the farming industry as far
as possible from further drains OF
labor, the new draft regulations
have been drawn with a view to TAX
ing from the farms an even smaller
proportion Of men and it is my hope
that the local exemption boards will
make the new ClassifcatiOns with
view to tightening the load upon
the farmers to the utmost extent.
The secretary of war has asked for
authority to furlough soldiers of the
national army if conditions permit
it so that they may return TO their
farms when assistance is necessary
in the planting and harvesting Of
the crops.
National and local agencies are
actively OF work besides in organic
ing community help for the more
efficient distribution Of available Ia
cor and the drawing upon new
sources of labor. While there VIII
be difficulties and very serious ones,
they will be difficulties which are
among the stern necessities of war
Railways Helping.
THE federal railway administra-
ton is cooperating in the most &C
mt and efficient way
with the food administration to re-
move the difficulties of transporta-
ton ard of the active movement Of
the crops. Their marketing is TO be
facilitated and the farmers given
he opportunity 10 realize promptly
upon their stocks
The department of agriculture
and the food administration Will
continue TO cooperate as heretofore
90 assist the farmers in every way
possible All questions of production,
of the marketing Of farm products.
of conservation i'm the course IF
production and Of agricultural la
Dor and farm problems generally
viii be handled by the department
OF agriculture. while all questions
of distribution of food supplies 10
the allies and of conservation in
consumption will be handled by the
food administration. but the chief
reliance is upon the farmer himself.
and I ann sure that that reliance
VIII be justified 10y the results. The
chief thing TO he kept clearly in
mind i~ that regulations of this sort
are only a part of the great gen
eral plan of mobilization into which
every element i'm the nation enters
i'm ,his war as i'm no other. The bus
tues- of var touches everybody Il
is 81 stern business, a cooperative
business. business OF energy and
sacrifice o business of service in the
largest and best and most stirring
sense OF that great word
y. 4. 4. l.. MEETS.