The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-23
Controller Explains Necessity
for Move and Demand for
Its Extension.
HUGE SUPPLY FROM U. s.
All Expenditures First Ap-
proved by Treasury--Tribute
Paid to Work of Navy.


Isnt hand man and entrusted with
sitting into execution the system of
,ood control which has proved so sue
..ssf,l is the best authority TO discuss
me results of the great experiment.
.our most urgent problem In the
o-,lss, DAYS of food control was that
y, nrices," he says. 1T is tragfcally
,ossIble for the food to be there. yet To
Z. so unobtsinable by the masses Of the
,eople as II II were not. One has seen
,,ctures OF street wallis pressing their
,lnohed faces against the pastry cooks
vindow, vainly coveting the good things
here displayed. II Is a picture which
night easily have multiplied itself a
-rIIlionfold had the problem of prices
provsd unsolvable.
Scarcity always has npest dearness
whether the scarce article be an ONYX
~ an onion. Simply to bemoan the fact
hat as soon as an article OF common
consumption suffered dtminution in
Tuantity II should instantly be subject TO
expansion In price was futile. Our
main duty was to conserve food: con-,
ssrvation entails Elimination of available
supply, diminution means n rise in price
20 the consumer, the very thing we most
desired TO avoid.
at will be plain then to everybody
that we could not move a step until the
prices OF certain articles OF food-bresd.
neat nsh, fats-were fixed. A good
deal of unrest had already revealed
ITSELF finding It's storm centre In grew
anoes relating to the high cost OF fiving.
Our modus operandi was eithsr to settle
definitely the retail price OF oorp-
modify. such as tea, or to place limit
IN the profits which any dealer. trader
NJ retailer might legally make upon
- .-NN al -
Price Fixing q Success.
THAT policy has occasionally been
challenged, but its best justification Is
Us success and Its acceptance through
out the country as a just and sensible
measure, while the constant appeals we
get TO fix the prices OF other COM
,nodities. which for one reason and
another have been left to ind their
OVID level-genera1ly high one
further indorse the wisdom OF our pro-
1sdure-
q am happy to say that traders. DEAL
srs, merchants and siaopkeepers have
cry generally acquiesced uncompiain-
ngiy IN these somewhat drastic condi-
ions. and with very few exceptions have
3Tbmitted not only Loyalty but with
good grace to a unique departure from
he common conditions Of their trade
a departure which In totally out of ac-
cord with English ideas, but which a
var we neither sought nor provoked has
made inexorably necessary.
Having settled our general policy
WITH respect TO prices. we considered
our paramount duty was then to main
tain supplies, However excellent our
mentions might be. the people would
lstu-pny and inevitably consider we
had saEfn laQ1 gAl A..
.ivering the goods. and. with regard to
he future. ] do not hesitate to say we
~ to-day look ahead not only with
oonfdence that supplies win be
idequate II not sIiperabundant, but as
,r as human foresight can discern
Nth certainty.
For the purpose of guaranteeing
supplies the Ministry OF Food has been
,aiged TO become a buyer of provisions
N colossal scale. such a scale as no
indicate OF combine has ever ap-
7roaceed for magnitude and financial
pnmitnent
Nation q buyer. Not Trader.
such step was q necessity. Good
5 the credit of an individual concern
night be, that credit is apt to be re.
iArded IN war time in distant foreign
markets as less assured than in peace
lines, and in any case. even II wholly
lnimpalred, It is far below the credit
y the nation as a nation.
Though We have acted as the buyer
We have not sought to act as the trader.
he credit OF the Ministry OF Food
'ecures food in bulk. in great quantities,
ind then our organization assists the
Tow OF these commodities through the
Hrdinary channels of trade.
DIT -
Fhiie guarding jealousy against loss,
makes no attempt 10 realize q profit.
ne Ministry is free from the motives
y The ordinary trader Transactions
respect Of food during the period of
ne M!nistry's existence have run into
hundreds OF millions sterling, yet only
sinz sum is recorded as a net loss on
any Of the business done This loss
'as arisen In connection with our live
''ock transactions. and We hope even
. recover that loss and any subsequent
'efcits attributable TO the same count
~ variations OF meat prices.
As TO our financial methods. II may
nterest the public in whose interests
ne Ministry Of Food acts and whose
Niafe Is its only concern TO learn
nat as Food Controller II is my duty
. OBTAIN Treasury sanction for all OPP
cations which involve actual expendi-
NE or which in any slightest degree
''edse the credit OF the Ministry.
All Expenditures Approved.
IN every department. and there are
Llny In Ministry which takes cog
+taace Of so many varied interests.
As'1 is an assistant director OF finance,
"tc7e duty IL Is to consider every
Naeue involving expenditure and to
aIb7it i TO the financial secretary In
ne form OF draft letter, to be further
,'oyal
Evidently. then, We are very far from
Ning unrestricted access to the ma
-ohal purse. On the contrary. our
..'e'ary outgoings are subject to most
'savetI'e checks and thorough exam
nation and in all cases purchases are
MADE BY the agents OF the Ministry
No countries Of origin, after pre-
'|ns sanction by the Treasury.
lake the case Of American supplies.
,ar he largest. as typical OF all
'"efs emanatine from extra British
,ur"es. The procedure falls under two
avs First requlslt'on Is submitted
4 me financial branch OF each section OF
h ne rood Minis which states the esti-
ls'el r"qurements for the coming
i .'i.N secondly an annlication Is made
i uf same time to the proper source
/ ~ me provision OF the necessary ton
,.at-' both refrigerated and otherwise
- not enough to make sure Of being
.o-V 10 purchase the food on the spot: we
Nf' tISo make sure We can carry the
] ''d ~ this country
u II brief, Treasury sanction having
zen given for an estimated expendi-
NE. instructions are cahIed IN the