Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-08-06
Wheat Controller Will
See Nation Gets Flour
at $40 a Barrel $2.26
Guarantee Remains.
Johnson, South Dakota
Democratic Senator,
Urges Action to Stay
Spirit of Revolution.


conclusion Of a days activity by
the president, the sub-commit
tee of the cabinet appointed by
Attorney General Palmer ano
by the attorney general himself
announcements were made OF
immediate steps to be taken tc
reduce the cost of living and the
governments wheat policy. De.
cisions reached were:
President Wilson decided to ad-
dress message to congress, re-
commenting additional legislation to
aid in reducing the cost Of living, as
soon as he can write the message.
sage.
Agents of the department of JUS
tice we're ordered to ferret out all
extortioners of necessities and prof.
iteers thruout the country. They
ere to BE- prosecuted urcer the food
control act.
Director J. H. Barnes, Of the
grain corporation, decided to main
tain the governments price of
wheat at S2.26 busheI as a reserve
protection against higher price
later.
In a statement, showing why the
price Of wheat would rise but for the
government guarantee, Director Barnes
promised a readjustment of flour prices
at the expense of the national treasury
as authorized by congress, if later de-
velopments indicated q world price for
wheat lower than the guaranteed basis.
Immediate steps will be taken by the
grain corporation to sell standard flour
in every community Of the country in
carload lots at a price not greater than
SO barrel, Mr.. Barnes announced
This price. he added is lower by 81 q
barrel than any price ruling during the
last four months.
Big Shrinkage in Grain.
Using figures described Las coming
from the Grain corporations own private
sources, Mr.. Barnes predicted a shrink
age of probably 400,00O,000 bushels
in the wheat production for North
America-2J0,000,0 900 bushels of which
is in the United States-from the June
European wheat and rye production of
European whmeat and rye production of
300 100000 bushels outside Russia.
Figures were given by Mr.. Barnes on
the world wheat price as follow:
Average farm price to American farm
er under guarantee $2.0j a bushel. Av-
erage farm price in the United king
dom during the last calendar year 81 IS.
Average farm price for four big pro-
ducing countries. United States. Canada.
Argentine and Australia, producing
800 600. 900 bushels. S194.
Average grower price tlargely guar
anteed) of Europe in II consuming
countries, producing S00,00o,0o0 bush
els, S3.75.
Bread Cheapest Food.
Average of all wheat growers, weigh
cd according to the size of their con-
tribution to the total crop of the world
works out an average world grower
price Of S246.
Mr.. Barnes also gave figures to show
that if all other foods were sold at the
same rate as bread, the annual cost of
food for each person would be about
500 or total national food bill of
$1,000 100000 instead of $4,000 1000, 900
The high cost Of living was not dis
cussed at today's cabinet meeting, mem
Sers said as they left the White House.
Not word was said on the subject"
said one member.
Hoarders Marked Also.
Enforcement of the food control act,
Hitherto lodged with the legal depart
ment Of the food administration, will be
taken over by the department of JUS
ticc, Mr.. Palmer said Prosecutions viii
be ordered in all cases of boarding.
profiteering and other unfair practices
punishable under the act.
Meanwhile congress devoted further
attention to the grave subject Of living
costs, with the senate agriculture com
mittee to begin hearings August IS, on
bills by Senators Kenyon, of Iowa, and
Of Wyoming. proposing fed
eral regulation of the meat packing in
dustry.
Senator johnson, democrat. South
Dakota, told the committee drastic ac-
ton must be taken to meet the present
situation.
IF we don't, we will have revolu-
tion," he said, "'it is in the air."
Senator Gronna. republican, North
Dakota, said inadequate production was
partially to blame for conditions, adding
that if everyone began working IA hours
a day instead of eight, conditions would
improve.
Senator Smith. democrat. Georgia. de-
clared labor was demanding double
wages for working half time and that
one of the worst examples of wages
question profiteering was to be found
around the cities and railways. Con-
gress, he added, must have courage
enough to tell labor so''