Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-01-07

in the government for regulating the expor-
tation of food to Europe during the recon-
structiOn period is generally admitted even
by those individuals who believe that there
is no longer any excuse for the present sys-
tenn of food administration. Mr.. Hoover
himself is one of these. while the expl-
ration of the Lever law can be faced without
anxiety, the other functions of the food
administration must continue" was the
opinion he expressed before going to Europe
"Some organization must be continued or
some organization set up to guide our dis
tribution Of food abroad if it shall reach the
most deserving and the most necess1tous.
The vast purchases for export are now all In
the hands of the governments, many Oh
them acting in common and the1A powers IN
buying could, if misused, ruin our producers,
or, alternatively, do infinite harm to our con-
sumers An utter chaos of speculation and
profteering would reign if these buyers weret
not co-ordinated and controlled.
There are other Washington officials, how
ever who do not believe that the e1pirat
of the Lever law can be faced without
iety. This is the law which gives tn!
administration the power to controlS
prices charged by wholesalers through
federal license system, and those chars
by retailers through the fair.price lists th2r
have become so popular with the consuming
public. The producer was exempted from
regulation in this law for it has been shown
again and again that the producer who is
usually a farmer, rarely makes an unfair
profit. 1t is in it's journey from TIE farmer
to the consumer that food becomes expensive
In 1913, for example, the farmer was get
ing but 26 cents for the amount OF Wheat
used in making a dollars worth OF bread;
the miller six cents while 68 cents was added
between the flour at the mill and the bread
on the consumers table. Under the food
administration this condition has been chang
ed so that the farmer now gets 40 cents
for the same amount of wheat; the miller
re XUhi hI1t
tween the -four at the mill and the bread
on the consumers table.
At first, it was thought that the Lever law
provided no means of regulating prices
charged by retailers, because it made no dl-
rect mention of the retailer unless he was
doing business of a hundred thousand dol
lars year, and few retailers have so large
a business. But the law expressly provided
a penalty for profteering, and it was I'M
der this profiteering clause that the food adj
ministration finally found its power. Then
fair price boards were established by the
administration in all communities. These
boards are made up of representatives from
the three groups interested-one to represent
the wholesalers, two or three to represent
the retailers, and two or three to represent
the consuming public. The latter are usu-
ally housewives labor leaders and profess
sional men. The wholesaler reports the
prices the retailer must pay Tor MS staples,
and the board then adds to this the margin
of profit determined falr by the Iood auniln-
istrator.
Margins of profit were fixed by govern
ment commission only after careful 1nves-
tigation of business costs. In every case they
have been approved not only by consumers
committees, but by committees OF merchants
and by banking experts.
The food administration is enthusiastic in
it's praise of the spirit in which both whole
salers and retailers have ~co-operated with
it in following these specified margins OF
profit There have been a number or cases,
of course, where merchants have had to be
deprived of their licenses, but these have
usually been amcably adjusticated by the
merchants contribution to the United war
Workers or the Red Cross and his promise
to follow the lists in the future. -
But this was during the war.t Now
the war is won, this cooperation of the
is not quite so hearty. There is tenochcs~
to resent the authority of the admin1stra.
ton. Hence, the discussion in Washingt
as to what will really occur when the foc~
administration goes out of existence.