The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-08-29


ment of Commerce a few days ago,
to which l wish to call the attention
of gentlemen, as to the exports Of
food supply. In the first place let
me say that for four and one-half
years the whole world has been en-
gagged in destroying human life and
property, and not producing food ar
ticles or anything else of use, produc-
ing not but distress and misery, and
there is shortage of supply all over
the world, and great demand for
these articles right now. But in the
last IL months ending with June we
exported, in round numbers, 81 1,000,-
100000 worth of breadstuffs and
nearly $1,25O, 100000 worth of meat.
Had We been able to keep that sup
ply at home our people would now
have plenty to supply all demands at
home. But there is shortage at
home and abroad, which adds very
much to the cost of living all over
the world.
But to talk about Congress right
now quickly reducing the cost of liv-
ing without reducing the cost of
production is demagoguery. 1t does
not mean anything else. (Applause.)
1t can not be done. How can we in
crease the cost of production and at
the same time lower the cost of the
things produced by that mans labor?
1t is silly to talk about it. Gentle
men, the cost of production the world
over is infiated-on the crest of the
wave at the present time. Every
thing that enters into the cost of pro-
duction is high, and labor is at least
80 per cent of the cost of the produc-
tion of anything that we produce,
either upon the farm or in the fac
tory. If we increase mems pay can
we at the same time lower the cost
of living? No sensible, sane business
man will make that statement and
mean what he says.
l notice that this resolution strikes
out sugar. Let me say to the gen.
tlemen of the House that the Food
Administration at about the Begin
ming of this year, in January, entered
into an agreement with Cuban sugar
producers to the effect that our Gov
ernment would purchase all the sugar
produced for export by Cuba. / have
copy of that contract. An upset
price was set forth in that contract at
which our government would take that
sugar f. o. b. New York, duty paid.
In addition to that the Food Admin
istration entered into a contract with
the sugar refiners of this country to
the effect that the refners would
take that sugar from the Government
of the United States, through the
Food Administration, at a certain
price, and the Food Administration,
under powers vested in them, fixed
the wholesale price not only of that
sugar but sugar produced in this
country from beets and cane at $8.65
per 100 pounds.
That is the law now in force and
enforceable by the Food Administra-
tion. The price has been fixed at $40
per ton for sugar beets to the beet
sugar manufacturers Of this country,
and they are paying that price for
the farmers crop today for all the
beets produced in this country, and
to the manufacturers the price of su-
gar was fixed by the Food Admins
tration at $8.65 per 100 pounds.
The thing to investigate is what
are the retailers selling that sugar
for, and what are their profits, and
whether it is an unreasonable profit.
The manufacturer is completely bound
by these contracts and under the sup
ervision of the Food Administration,
and therefore it was wise to strike
sugar from this resolution, because
nothing can be done or should be done
there, because the Government now
the manufacturers price alb
If you will take into consideration
these questions, the cost of produc-
ton and the amount of those articles
that we are exporting to other parts
Of the world, you will find that no
great bugaboo is going to be found in
this investigation, though some men
may think there will be.
1t is true, undoubtedly, that profit
eers have gone beyond that which is
reasonable and are exacting from the
people more profits than they should,
but in every instance it will be found
that the cost Of production is high.
/ have just returned from my home
State, Michigan, and while there I
made inquiry and found that farm la
Dor is receiving board and washing
and $50 month. Do you believe that
the farmer can produce food cheaply
and sell it at low price when it is
costing him high price to produce
it? No; if there is profiteering, it is in
the cold storages and in the high
prices exacted. by the wholesalers,
middlemen, and retailers, in my opin--
ion. / do not believe the farmers to-
day are getting any more than fair
price for their farm products. Inves-.
tigation might show it; but let US go
at this matter sanely. Let men be
sensible. Let them be reasonable. Let
them investigate and find where the
trouble is and there remedy the trou-
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