The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-05
URGE Us. To, MAKE
WHEAT LOSS GOOD
Grain Dealers, Exporters and
Millers Unit in Demanding
Government Pay.
SUGGEST VARIED WAYS
Want Existing Corporation
Continued-Agree World
Price Will Be Low.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-Grain dealers,
exporters and millers to-day presented
to the House Agriculture Committee va
ried suggestions for methods OF carrying
out the Governments guarantee to pro-
ducers Of Ss2s a bushel for tho 1919
wheat crop.
All agreed that tho true market price
ms determined by world conditions would
drop below the guaranteed rate and
that the Government should mako good
the difference directly rather than by
maintaining artificially the higher price.
The witnesses also agreed that the
existing United States Grain Corpora
ton or some similar body should be
maintained as the Governments agency
for supporting the price to growers
They differed as to methods TO be pre-
scribed by legislation which tho COM
mittee Is preparing to draft.
Would Ray Farmers Directly.
The grain dealers proposed that the
corporation actually buy the grain at
S2.26, sell II to millers or other consum-
ers at price dictated by world mar
kets and acquire the country's surplus
for export. The exporters suggested
tied to paying farmers the difference be.
tween the Government price and the
market price at which the grain was
sold without actually taking possession
and consequently without piling up q
great quantity for export.
The millers were interested mainly In
having the corporation given authority
to protect millers against losses grow
Ing out Of the falling Of the wheat price
from the present artificial level to the
true world price and the fluctuations ir
the world price before It becomes stable
under the corporations administration.
Representatives of the respective In
terests appearing before the committee
to-day did not agree wholly among
themselves over many details Of theii
proposed plans
In the main. however the grain deal.
ers advocated that the grain corpora
ton continue to function much as II hat
done In the past, Thus the dealers
would collect grain from farmers. paying
the guaranteed price with a small deduc.
ton for commission. and turn over tho
grain to the grain corporation at tn,
guaranteed price. The corporation ther
would sell II at the price 1t Judges u
| represent the world price. determined b!
international competition. and expor
tho surplus. Spokesman were reluctan
to predict what the world price, or tn,
true market price. would be.
Would Bar Other Grains.
Other suggestions Of the dealers were
that the Government should not acquire
storage warehouses or mills In anticipa
ton of An emergency caused by fioodinf
the market after next summers harvest
and that the grain corporation shoult
not be called on to handle other grain.
than wheat.
The millers ask protection against tn,
expected decline from the present arti
/ ficial level to the open market prices /
was explained, only to keep the usua
| quantity of -four in transit TO consump
ton points. necessary to maintain
steady supply. An accounting would b
maintained with the grain corporation
BY which the corporation would pay tn,
difference between the wheat price on IN,
day when -four was shipped and "A lowe
price on the day when the -four was de
| livered.
James f. Bell OF Minneapolis, a mem
Der of tine Food Administration. WAS IN
| only spokesman for the Millers Nstiona
! Federation. James Ward Warner o
New York appeared for tho exporters
| Among the grain dealers who gave thei
! views were:
! +. f. Goodrich. Winchester Ind. presi
! dent of the Grain Dealers National AS
| ISOLATION William T Cornelison. Peoria
| Ill; Fred Mayer. Toledo Henry NJ
| Brouse. Cincinnati Hiram y. Sager
Chicago J. l.. McGaull. c. A. Magnusol
and G. +. Eve. Minneapolis.