Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-04
CR0NNACALLS
MEETING TO
DISCUSS
Declares He Has No Plan
: For Immediately Reduc-
@ ing Prices. -,.

Washington, Aug. 4.-DiscuSston OF
the high cost of living was resumed IN
the senate today. Chairman Gronna
of the Agriculture committee an
tee meeting tomorrow to discuss meas
ures to reduce. the cost Of living. He
said he had no remedy to offer, but de-
clared that increase of wages and. de-
crease of working hours was not a
Ipanacea, nor would government own
ership or control of utilities solve the
problem. ~
Relation Of the price Of wheat to
the cost of living was debated by sew
.eral senators. Mr.. Gronna denied
that the governments wheat price
! guarantee causes undue prices for
bread. He was supported by Senator'S
Kellogg and Nelson, Republicans OF
Minnesota, who said wheat was being
sold far above the governments S
guarantee at the principal terminals.
The three senators predicted that
this years crop would be lower than
the government estimate, Senator
Gronna saying it would be 650,o00.0 900
bushels as against 1,250,00O,0 900 fore
cast by the department of agriculture.
Senator Gronna declared that the
packers and all dealers in food prod
ucts "never made higheH. profits"
than they did under the food admin
istration's licensing plan during the
war.
Senator Kirby, Democrat Of Arkan-
sas, asked If the government grain
corporation was not now manipulating
prices. ~ 4e ~
he asked.
"Mr. Barnes has been criticised in
all the whest states," Senator Gronna.
answered, ffor bearing down the
price. He his made every possible ef-
fort to reduce prices"
Senator Nelson said the Canadian
government had taken over the wheat
crop in that country and wiped out
Canadian exchanges
McCumber Speaks.
Senator McCumber, republican OF
North Dakota, said -four at s14 bar
rel was the Cheapest thing on earth
today"
Compare your flour bill of 3, Lac
a day with your cigar BILL" Senator
McCumber said, in asking why there
was so much clamor about -four pric-
es and so little about those for cloth
ing, shoes, medicines and other ar
ticles. M
Senator Pittmann, democrat, Ne
vada. told the senate wheat and four
prices could not be blamed on the
He pointed out that President Will
son had vetoed a bill to dx wheat at
$3.50 bushel and declared the, ad-
ministration had opposed the whsat
fixing legislation.
Senator Sherman, republican, I'M
nois, said the meat packers were not
responsible for high meat prices.
THE increase in price Of meats
comes after they leave the refrigerator
car" said he.
Senator smoot- republican. Utah,
declared imitation Of currency and ex-
orbitant profits of food distributors
were responsible for high living costs.
Urging that tho people mot lose their
heads" over the situation, Senator
Smoot said:
''I look forward to trouble, not only
in this country. but all over the world.
unless change comes within q rea-
sonable time"
| Attacking alleged profteering by
wholesale and retail food dealers,
Senator Smoot said the former aver
aged about 20 per cent and the latter
so per cent in Washington. He de-
clared he had been, charged $1.25 for
small watermeloh and $1.50 for q
chicken ''no bigger than ones hand. -