The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-06-21


out of the hands of the profiteers.
From grower to manufacturer the
wool clip of the country is to go
with a charge of only 40 for the
handling.
Lewis Penwell, the Montana wool
grower, who is running the wool di
vision of the War Industries board
has taken the step in the interests
of war efficiency that will leave one
set of profteers out in the cold.
When wool commission men told of
the decision of the board to let them
struggle along on 40 of the gross
business they handle they made Wig
orous protests, but after heart to
heart talk with Bernard N. Baruch,
chairman of the War Industries
board they concluded that they
would rather take the 40 than to
let the business slip out of theil
hands.
The Industrial board has been
keeping tab on the profiteering in
wool and it is limited that the COM
mission men had an uncomfortable
half hour in talking with Mr.. Ba-
ruch. Millions of pounds were held
out by spectators who reaped a
profit of from 10 to- 20 cents per
pound at the price fixed on the ba
sis of the market of July 80. The
same price will be maintained this
season so that the vast sums which
went to spectators last year will
this year be given to the producers.
PROFITS IN
MILLIONS
Figured roughly" says Mr.. Pen
well, "there were profits between
twenty and thirty million dollars
that went to the spectators last
year which the farmers will get this
year. Mr.. Penwell says that the
spectators made enough last year
to keep them going for several
years so that they will be able to
live even on the 416 commission.
The price is fixed at the distrib-
uting centers from Michigan east
ward at S1.O5 to S1.85, according to
the grade. Out of this fixed price
the farmer will have to pay an APP
proved local dealer 11a cents per
pound for taking charge of the wool
and forwarding it to distributing
center. Growers who desire to pool
their clip in carload lots will be per-
mitted to ship it direct to one of
the established dealers, thus elm
mating all profit at that point. Mr..
Penwell is urging them to adopt this
course through their county agents.
No commodity will come so clean
and so short of profits as the wool
clip for the coming season. The
government will handle it direct, TAX
ing out what will be needed for gov
eminent work and what is not re-
quired for the army and navy will
be distributed among manufacturers
of wooden goods.
GOVERNMENT
WILL WATCH
No person will be allowed to han
die wool either as an original buyer
or a commission man at the central
distributing points unless approved
/ by the government, and all books
of approved dealers will be open fol
government inspection at all times.
i The government plan of handling
wool without profit is in line with
the demands of the Nonpartisan
League for the handling of all OF
the foodstuffs by the state at cost
instead of turning them over to the
food trusts as is done at present.
/ WANTS COURTS
CHECKED
The decision of the United States
supreme court which declared the
Child Labor law unconstitutional has
resulted in an agitation for more
control of court decisions by the law
making bodies. Senator Owen oil
Oklahoma, declares that such de
cisions are not within the PROVING,
of the court. Senator Owen says
that repetition of such things il
the future can only be prevented BY
the attachment of clause forbid
ding the supreme court to declare 1
measure unconstitutional.
Senator Owen presents the case il
a new light. He says that the dc
claring of such laws unconstitutiona
/ is an Indictment by the court o.
congress and the president, VIII,
have passed and signed the bill, AM
who are under oath to uphold tn,
constitution.
/ AROUSES
n CRTTICTCM