The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-01-30
showing the number Of bushels held
back by the war.

showing the number Of bushels held
back by the war.
For this and other reasons the Unit
ed States must continue to ship wheat
to Europe for long time IN heavy
quantities. Mr.. Hoover has insisted
that this wheat should be paid for at
the American price. or about $40 .
bushel. II he had his way. 1t 10 prob
able that the American food admins
tration would insist that all the wheat
going to Europe from all sources
should be pooled and sold to consuHi.
ers at the average price per bushel OF
the whole.
Thus the American farmer would
get his So bushel net, the govern
ment making up tho difference be-
tween this figure and the price obtain
ed by averaging with tho whGats from
other countries. Apparently no such
pool has boon arranged.
Congress Can Bring Down Price.
The solution Is inevitably for the
government to pocket its losses. and
this can DO dono II congress insists.
England throughout the war has kept
down living costs by the simple OK.
pedient of making up the difference
between a reasonable and fancy
price.
Sho bought flour which cost her ST
q barrel in the United States, mixed
1t in the proportion OF one barrel
American to three barrels English
flour, some of 1t mixed with other
grains, and sold the product to the
public at 1888 q barrel She lost some
$3.50, 000,0 900 to $30O.OOO,000 in the pro-
cess, but she would have had bread
riots IL she had done otherwise.
The United States can do the same
thing. II can not avoid paying the
farmer 50 for his 1919 wheat. but It
can make that price up to him by pay.
ing the difference between the guar
anteed cost of the wheat and the mar
ket price of foreign wheat which is be.
ing sold outside the guarantee. Mr..
Hoover Is insisting, very properly,
that Europe shall pay for wheat the
price which the United States govern
ment is pledged to pay for 1t, for to do
otherwise would be to favor foreigners
at the expense of the American peo-
pie.
But the machinery for carrying food
of this kind must be sup
piled by congress. AS far as the Amer
lean Grain corporation Is concerned it
probably could close out business now
with a surplus on hand, but. Of course,
with the war ended and American
wheat competing with the surplus
stocks Of the world such program as
Is here suggested could not be carried
without congressional author
ity and appropriations.
Storage Serious Problem.
If any legislation is suggested to
congress by the food administration, 1t
will be with reference to storage facil-
tiles for the 1919 crop. The storage
capacity of American elevators Is only
$50 100000 bushels, and with crop
Of 1900, 100000 bushels coming In it is
obvious that some place must be
found to put it. otherwise the grain
will spoil. It must, therefore, be ask.
ed OF the farmer as q patriotic duty
that beginning next June. when the
first harvesting begins in the South
ern states, he manage somehow to
store his own grain. The problem
here confronting the country is q very
serious one, for with the food admins
tration out Of business, a wheat crop
three times the existing
capacity and no provision by
congress or otherwise for taking care
Of the wheat. the farmer may face dis
astrous losses notwithstanding the
pledge OF the government to pay him
81 hushel for his wheat.
Here is problem that will require
most intelligent and cheerful cooper.
alton between the farmer. the govern.
nent and the public. II Is one OF many
large problems to which
he presidential attention might as
we'll be given as to the more remote
OF a league Of nations. In
TACT, were Mr.. Wilson at his desk in
he white house today he would find
himself confronting O confused nation
which. to say the least. would welcome
1im home.