Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1919-01-21
SECRETARY HOUSTON MAKES A
REPORT TO THE HOUSE
OF CONGRESS.
INFORMATION OF VALUE GIVEN
Every Producer of Wheat Will Be
Protected at the Price Fixed by
the ernment--Outlook for
Present Year Is Good.

the agricultural department and the
food administration with regard to
making effective the wheat price guar
anty for the 1919 crop, and presented,
at the suggestion of the president by
Secretary Houston to Hon. A. f. Lee
yer of the house of representatives.
contains not only the plans of the
government for accomplishing this
great undertaking but also much in
teresting information as to the pres
ent and probable future status of
the wheat trade.
The lengthy document, or "memor-
andum." as it is called reviews the
passage of the food control act. ap-
proved August 10, 1917, the wheat pro
visions therein the appropriation of
S150,000.O00 for the purpose of the
act. the order of August IA. 1917, pro
viding for the incorporation of the
Food Administration Grain corpora
ton with a capital of $4,000. 600, aft
erwards increased to $15O,OOO.O0O. ito
carry out the guaranty of the price
of wheat" the orders of February n,
1918, and June p, 1918. making effect
i've a basic price of 1920 at Chicago
for the crop of 1918, which was later
increased to $226 in view of the in
crease in freight rates, and the presi-
dents proclamation of September 2,
1918, fixing the guaranteed price of
$2.26 at Chicago for the crop of 1919.
The memorandum continues:
The United States Food Admins
tration Grain corporation has under
taken ito carry out and make effect
i've the guaranteed price of wheat
of the crop of 1918 and with its cap
ital of $15000000, and its credit, com
bined with the export demand for
wheat up to this time, the grain cor
poration has been able so far to main
tain, in its integrity, the guaranteed
price of wheat of the crop of 1918.
The crop of wheat of the harvest of
1918 is estimated to be 917 100000
bushels, and this resulted from the
planting of 42.301, 900 acres of winter
wheat and 22,4O6,OOO acres of spring
wheat, or a total of 64,7O7 900 acres.
Up to the first day of November.
1918, there had been a movement of
53O00OO00 bushels from the farms.
and of this amount there was then in
storage in elevators mills, and ter
minals. 2S7OOO,OOO bushels. On No
vember 20, the total movement from
the farms amounted to 5SS,0OO 600
bushels, leaving a balance of the crop
of about S29000,00O bushels yet to be
moved from the farms, and on the
same day there were 254,OO0, 900 bush
els in elevators, mills and terminals,
so that it will be observed that there
is a very large amount of the 1918
crop yet to be moved from the farms.
and it will take all the resources of
the grain corporation and the most
careful attention to every detail to
carry out the guaranteed price of
wheat of the crop of 1918, made by
the executive proclamation under the
authority of the act of congress. In
fact, if the export demand for the
wheat of the 1918 crop should dimin-
ish, it is possible that in order to
maintain the guaranteed price it may
be necessary that there be a further
appropriation by congress. On the
other hand. if the demand for wheat
for export should continue, it is hoped
that on the first day of June, 1919
the grain corporation may have been
able to carry out the obligations of
the United States as to the crop OF
1918 without impairing it's capital of
S150,000,000
Wheat Crop of 1919.
The carrying out of the guaranteed
price of wheat harvested in the
United States during the year 1919
and offered for sale before the first
day of June, 1920" fixed by the presi-
dents proclamation of September 2,
1918, in pursuance of the direction of
the act of congress of August 10, 1917,
presents a much more difficult situa-
ton, of which congress should be ad-
vised, and such agencies should be
created and appropriations made, by
congress, as will insure the carrying
out of the guaranteed price ito every
producer of wheat" in its integrity.
We therefore deem it advisable to call
the attention of congress to the situa-
ton, as it appears at present.
1. The number of acres of wheat
planted for the 1918 crop was as fol
lows:
Winter wheat -.-...--.....42.3 O1, 900 acres
Spring wheat ....-..-.....-22, 100000 acres
TotaI...................64 ,7O7, 900 acres
However, of the winter wheat plant
ed about 100000 acres were aban-
doned. From this planting there was
(estimated) harvested 917, 1O0, 900
bushels. For the harvest of 1919 it is
estimated that there have been plant
ed 49 POI 900 acres of winter wheat,
N, innroncn Of 1e : nor cnnt nr-nr. Tho