The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-08-09
REPEAL WHEAT
PRICES TO AID
FARMERS URGED
Senator Norris Declares
Middle Men Are Making
All the Profit and That
Farmers Are Losing.

| Washington, August S.-RepeaI OF
the government price guarantee for
wheat, to enable farmers to secure
higher prices, was urged at a special
meeting today of the senate agricul-
ture committee Action by the COM
mittee was deferred.
Senator Norris. republican, of Ne
braska. proposed repeal of the price
guarantee and it was endorsed by T. C.
Atkeson- Washington representative of
the National Grange.
That is exactly what the farmers are
praying for. said he
Senator Norris, Chairman Gronna
and other committee members said the
wheat price guarantee law has not
been carried out. The s2.26 guarantee,
they declared was intended by congress
to be the minimum price possible un-
der the law of supply and demand.
Instead they asserted the United
Grain Corporation had made the mini
mum guarantee the maximum price for
the farmers. Mr.. Atkeson told the COM
mittee that the farmer would receive
an average of only $3.50 per bushel
for wheat this year. He and Senator
Gronna declared that had the gov
ernment not fixed the price. farmers
would receive much more than the
guarantee because of the prospective
wheat shortage and world demand.
Mr.. Atkeson testified that the grain
had made large profits
from wheat sales that the farmers
should have received.
Senator Poindexter, republican, of
referring to President
plan to ask congress for ad-
~tcIw A.
Of living. said the difficulty of the sit
uation was due largely to government
action as war measures"
The president. he said, ''was vested
with almost absolute powers to ham
lie the food situation. I am of the
opinion that it will not be possible
'or congress to devise any additional
legislation to give the president any
greater powers than he has at present
10 deal with the situation now. The
president has dictatoria1 powers. I
hink they ought to be repealed, but
he fact is that they are not repealed
md ought to be used now in this emer-
sency."
Chairman Gronna said government
agencies were refusing to do any
hing to lower the cost of living and
hat congress was not at fault.
John A. McSparran. master of the
Grange. urged an organi-
.ation to advise the American public |
# the facts in the food situation as
t affects the Sarmers-
"The department of agriculture |
hould have done it. should have pro-
ected us, but it has not done it,, |
aid Mr.. McSparran.
.sThe people are kicking at paying |
2-26 for wheat, when they are paying /
36 a bushel in the form of shredded \
wheat. Corn is selling at s1.90 and the |
'eople are paying $12 a bushel in the /
II Oats company made 104 per cent |
'rofit on it's investment last year"
Senator Norris said there was uni
'ersal public misconception OF the
armers' interest in the food situation.
The people think the farmers are
etting s2.26 for wheat and they are
Iot," said Mr.. Norris.
The people do not know they are
aging enormous profits to the middle
man,"
A proposal by Senator Norris that
chairman Gronna and the represen-
atives of the GRANGE organization issue
statement to the public giving the
xact facts of the food situation was
pproved by the committee.
1.-The grange representatives told the
ommittee that the newspapers now
Tere cooperating in giving publicity
D. statements of the farmers inter-
SITS.
Senator Norris said he thought il
rould be "a good idea" to introduce a
ill for repeal of every vestige of
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