The Washington times., 1919-08-22

DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, the Govern
ments former pure food expert,
amazed the Senate District sub
committee, when summoned as a wit
ness at the hearing on the milk situ-
alton in Washington, by protesting
that profteering in necessities, de-
spite all the OUtcry against il, is re-
spOnsible for only 5 per cent of the
total increased cost of living in the
United States.
Due 10 unusual conditions over
which the peOpleshave no control, the
cost Of living has increased 1OG per
cent since the war DR.. Wiley told the
committee, submitting the following
table showing the causes for the abb
normal increase:
Increase due TO unusual amount Of
currency. 65 per cent; slowing up Of
production, etc, 25 per cent; profiteer-
ing, , per cent; cXtravaga nee of the
people, . per cent, a total OF 100 per-
cent.
During a general discussion of the
foOdstuff situation. Dir. Wiley turned
the committees attention to flour.
Whole wheat flour is the most nutTi-
tioUs, he said, and the wheat output
could be conserved considerably by
flour, as only IS per cent OF the wheat
berry is utilized in the production OF
white flour.
Put II Up to Hoover.
DR. Wiley said ne had tried to per-
suade Food Administrator Hoover to
order the use Of whole wheat bread in
order to conserve the wheat in this
country. but that Mr.. Hoover had re
h1 ~
Belgians had died as a result of eat
ing whole wheat bread. Dr. Wiley
said he always ate that kind, and is
still alive and well.
The American milIers, he believed,
have been prOfiteerinE to some eX-
tent during the war. and were re-
@pOnsiblc for the large shipments of
white flour to starving Europe in
stead Of shipments Of wheat
pr. Wiley was the first Of the milk
producers TO testify yesterday. Since
his retirement from public life. tNo
former pure food expert is a dairy
man farmer, owner Of an 1.l5O acre
farm in Loudoun county. Virginia.
near Bluomont, where he maintains a
model dairy.
Or. Wiley Informed the committee
he believed WashinEton's milk supply
- sAbOAl lIlN bFNN llI lllf llNlNil states.
as were its regulations and laws with
respect 10 inspection. No tubercuIar
milk is permitted to be shipped into
tho District. he said.
Protesting that more consideration
should be- given the producer Dr. Wi
ley declared that the law rayors the
milk distributors more than il docs
the consumer. who should come first.
The producer. above all others. he
said. should he entitled To fair re
turn.
Passed on TO Consumer
Dr. Wiley admitted that the con-
sumner is the person TO whom the in
creased cost Of labor. etc. is passed
along. When producers are given one
cent gallon more for milk. Dr. Wiley
the consumer has to pay
an extra two cents almost invariably
TO the distributor. so the distributor is
not the loser.
He said he didn't think this is
right" Dr. Wiley called the commit
tees attention to this fact when he
TO explain why milk that
had been selling at i cents recently
was raised TO Il cents a quart.
DR.. Wiley told the committee that
he had lost money during the first
three years hc conducted his dairy
business and in the fourth year, Ia /
year, made a profit OF S2,2SO. He now
rents his dairy business TO a farmer
Charles !. COrby, president Of the
COrby Ba king Company was the first
Of the bakers to testify Mr.. CorDy
also owns the Havcncr Baking Com
puny. The bakers are now selling q
! 2-Ounce loaf for : cents. as com
pared with 15-ouncc loaf for
cents i'm 1914. yet he explained that
the cost Of bread has not risen in
TO the cost of -four