The sun., 1919-01-18
WAR OPENS ON
PRICE FIXING
OF ALL FOODS
n. Y. Exchange to Petition
Government to Restore
Normal Trading.
UNFAIR TO CONSUMERS
Present New Rates an Aid to
Bolshevism, Says Appeal
for Instant Relief,

Grain dealers, produce men and pro-
vision dealers throughout the United
States will push vigorously move
ment to persuade the Government to
remove the artificial price set upon
wheat for the purpose of stimulating
its production under war conditions
which now have passed.
The Government has pledged itself
to pay the farmers s2.26 a bushel for
the 1919 crop. 1t must fulfil that
obligation. What the men who deal
in food want Is to have the Govern
ment pay the artificial price, but then
release the wheat to be sold in the
open market at whatever price the
normal working OF the law Of supply
and demand shall determine.
Argentine wheat sold at $1.2sl yes
terday. Canada and Australia are said
to he prepared to sell wheat at 81 a
bushel under the American Govern
ments artificial price. Europe. now
that ships are available to carry grain
! from South America and other pro-
! ducing nations to her shores. will not
buy our crop, men in the trade point
, out. They want the Government to
pocket the loss and not make the con-
sumner pay 1t.
Put Blame on Government.
Behind It all is the broad idea that
| Uncle sam himself Is responsible Tor
much OF the high cost OF living, since
the price or wheat goVehs the price OF
most OF the other cereals. or beer. pork,
oread or course, ana or many other
| commodities.
! Some one must break the VICIOUS
circle or high prices, they point
out, ana urge that II Is up TO the Gov
ernment itself TO set the example.
Inc movement started quietly enough
!" N.'aso' ".H pe,''o
rncuia'eu upon 'ie nooi vi 'He Uneaso ,o
no"iu Va e"'""s upo,'
action to prevent "a recurrence OF this
h'' "
noss' nu' .''e price VI iioss Is o"iy 'i'e
oes.'n'''e VI tne campaign,
Men'oefS ol ''e Ne" o'A iiouuIe
HNo''""se' WIZ 'e'e''eu "'es "P"''
l
'''at "hle Nle pio'eS' ue"4s WIN "u1 o'ie
/ coH''houl'S' important IN iUSe''' II 'ore-
shadows NATIONWIDE movement on the
/ part or men IN the trade 10 insist tha'
governmental restrictions on all trade
be removed so that prices may be deter
mined, not by official dictum. but by the
good old law OF supply and demand.
! Many Produce Exchange members are
so worked up over the handlcap3 now
placed in the way OF business that
they. too, propose to circulate petit
ton similar TO that OF the Chicago
Board or Trade men, ana conouct
campaign designed to bring about RELIEF
/ from conditions now operating which
! they insist make difficult what the con-
suners of tbs country now demand.
,,o,,, ,o,,ar,, =, ,,o ht,, oos, =,
,'-',' -, III, %. ,,s.,
i''hs' me petition ".n 10 pas'eu
arouhu ior signatures 'o-uay
want fooo on PROPER h"s'
| The Produce men. like all other
patriotic citizens, did what the Govern
won't svnacted them IN while the war
,,.oo orJ srn,or,oa ,ba Food Ad-
,r,,n,s,ra,,on - 80 at,.o,iy. ,,. a.
7 HlIlllStidtIol sIOSaH' Il Oou WA " AZ
''e
! no" that the war Is over ana ous'-
ness Is still ted down with various re-
strictions they are asking among others
! the following questions. IN the hope that
a way may be found to get the price of
grains and other foodstuffs down to a
rational basis:
wiz sbouId eour col, st 40 h,r-s,
.,,,, 80. -, a,a a.. ~ .ha 49,,
W. W. '''", ''I ~ VIC
states 'hah ever oeioEe III l's history
when under the law OF supply ana de-
mand the price would not be more than
Sc barrel?
! Why should Government price OF
17L. cents n hundredwelght for hogs
be maintained In view of the fact tina,
the hog crop is between 10000, 600 and
! 90 OOO. 900, with a new pig crop coming
| in March and Apru, and the fact that
our normal ho, crop is So. .oO0. .O0O7
| What hope is there that foreign coun-
tries now that the war is over. will con-
tinue to buy our wheat at S2.2s. the
! Goyernment's fxel price. when Aryen-
tine wheat sold Yesterday at Sl.2S&,
and Australia and Canada are prepared
to sell their wheat at 81 bushel under