New-York tribune., 1919-08-06

no statement would be forthcoming
from the White House to-night, be-
yond the mere announcement that the
President "will address q message to
Congress as soon as he has time to
write it," 1t was not announced
whether the President would 40 before
Ccn94ess or send written communica-
tion.
5000, 100000 Bushels Assured
Dsreetor Barnes, in making public his
statement regarding the world wheat
situation, said the wheat crop in the
United States is not short and that
1,eeo,oo0.ooo bushels was assured. There
was no warrant, he said, however, for
statements that the price has been in
flated. He announced definitely that as
Tar as he could see there was no hope
for a reduction in the near future, and
that he would not sell wheat at price
below the guarantee.
Figures were given by MIR. Barnes
on the world price as follows:
Average farm price to American
farmer under guarantee, $205 u
bushel
Average farm price in the United
Kingdom during the last calendar
year, S2.2S.
Average farm price for four big
producing countries-United States,
Canada, Argentina and Australia,
producing 1,500000,000 bushels, $194.
Average grower price tlargely
guaranteed of Europe's fifteen con-
suming countries, producing S0O,-
o00.000 bushels. S3.75.
Average of all wheat growers,
weighed according to the size Of their
contribution to the total crop of the
world works out an average world
grower price of S2.46.
Argentine wheat, with longer voy-
age and higher freight rates, the
Barnes statement said, costs deliv-
cred in Europe fully so cents more
than American wheat delivered in
Europe.
No influence on Other Foods
There is no support for "the theory
of intimate relation and influence be-
tween. wheat price and other foods"
the statement said. Figures were pre-
sented to bear out Mr.. Barness con-
tention.
Britain, France and Italy" the
statement continued, "all have artif-
cally reduced -four and bread prices,
buying their raw material at the
worlds price and absorbing the loss
by. national taxes. Any sale of wheat
or -four by us at reduced prices to
them would only save their national
treasures, while depicting ours, with
out any possible reflection in the
bread price to their people which is
already fixed"
Mr.. Barnes also gave figures to
show the relation of the price Of
wheat to the price of bread, and con-
tended that bread now was the cheap
est item in the diet If all other
foods were at the same rate as bread
the annual cost of food for each per-
son would be about $50 or a total
national food bill of S5,0O0,0O0, 900, in
stead Of S1S,000,0 100000
This, of course. is impraticable,
the statement continued. "but let US
spend few millions in teaching
housewives, and through our schools.
how and what 10 buy to get food
value at reduced expenditure, and
without sacrifice of taste and palat-
ability
Conferences with Republican and
Democratic Senators on the league of
nations have definitely been abandoned
by the President until the problems of
the high cost of living are solved,
Secretary Tumulty announced. The
President. Mr.. Tumulty said, is going
'to give his whole time to the ques-
tion of the high cost of living"
Members of the Presidents Cabinet
went into conference early o-day with
Mr.. Palmer to receive the report Of
the special committee appointed last
week to tabulate the various sugges-
tions thus far advanced. After the
conference Mr.. Palmer said the sug-
gestions considered had to do largely
with new legislation and the enforce
ment of present laws. The question of
free market for wheat was discussed
at some length. but Mr.. Palmer said
the suggested revival of the food adj
ministraton to control food prices was
not seriously considered.