The sun., 1919-08-13

eral Government sweeping powers 10
prevent boarding. restriction OF supplies
from markets. the creation Of monopo- !
lies, the selling at an unreasonable proht
the destruction Of supplies or the engag-
ing in discriminatory or deceptive prac-
tlces. The penal provision In a fine OF
not more than 500 900 nor more than
Ave years imprisonment. or both.
In addition greater powers are con-
ferred on the Federal Trade Commission
under the measure. Power IL given II to
investigate any dispute n In general to
cnrry out provisions Of the act. Legiti-
mate transactions IN the grain ex-
exchanges, cooperative associations, gar
6eners and live stock owners are .exempt
from the bill providing the food is stored
on land owned, cultivated or leased by
them. .
The plan submitted by Mr.. Goody-
koontE calls on the House Judiciary
Committee to Immediately make a COM
plete investigation of the present situa-
ton and report to the House as soon as
possible the remedial legislation be-
lieved necessary.
Senator Mcclellan in urging approval
of his bill aid II would prevent packers
from putting products on the market at
will, las they now do to their own imam
cial benefit" Congress, he said, had
power to pass a bill regulating cold stor-
age warehouses In all States despite the
fact hat the Department of Agriculture
attorneys believe such q plan would be
held unconstitutional.
Warns of Packers Lobby.
you will find that the packers will
have their agents here to lobby against
thisb BILL Mr.. Mcclellan said, and since
II proposes nothing that any one who
believes in doing the right thing would
LG---- A. 49, go 49,
will be against 1t should cause its pas
sage"
The farmers side of the cost of living
question found ardent support to-day at
a conference of Representatives Of Con-
gress from the great agricultural States
and national officers of farm organiza-
tions. The gathering after consultation
issued a statement which will be signed
by a group of Senators and these officers
of the agricultural organisations. Among
the Senators present who ~signifed in
teition of signing were Kellogg (Minn.),
Curtis (Kan.), Capper '(Kan.) and
Gronna IN. d.. Others will be added.
That farmers are being robbed be-
cause of the maladministration of rules
relating to the guaranteed wheat price Is
the basic charge. The need of radical
revision Of the methods of grading n
of fixing discounts on the lower grades
is asserted. The statement declares 80
cents to 75 cents per bushel on hundreds
OF millions of bushels will be denied
farmers II rules now working are not
changed. The producers will not get liv-
ing wages.
The National Board Of Farm Organi-
cations and the National Grange indorse
the statement. They say that while
much of this years Wheat is shriveled
because OF extreme heat Il Is of the
highest milling value and pound for
pound should not have its price cut. The
statement in part follows:
The powerful machinery of the Gov
nmen is now being set in motion to
apprehend and bring to justice those who
are guilty Of conspiracy to restrain trade
and secure undue profits. But 1t must
be remembered hat this drive is now
coming at a time when the great staple
products OF the farm are going to mar
ket, and hat in selling the wheat crop.
for instance, the farmer is selling his
entire seasons labor.
object to Plans.
This is an experience with which the
interests which in the past have pyra-
mided their profits on his production
at the beginning of the marketing sea-
son. Mr.. Julius H. Barnes of the United
States Grain Corporation openly states
his policy to resell wheat. curtail foreign
shipments and use the resale OF wheat
to help control the domestic market price
against further advances The result Of
sCch policy. together with the manipH' A.
ton of a system of grades and stand
ards, nave been to reduce materially the
farmers income and deny him access to
a free market, where he can secure ac-
tual cost of production. 1t has placed
the city consumer in a position where he
is now eating bread produced by the la
Dor of the men. women and children OF
the farms of this country when they have
not been able to count their time as n
proper charge in making up the cost
sheet of production.
we believe city people should know
that the average annual labor income OF
the farmer. including that of his wife
and children, as shown by the last Fed
eral census was only $318.22. They
should know that owing to manipulation
In administering the grades and STAN
dards together With the damage done by
hot weather 20 the maturing crops the
winter wheat producers are receiving as
low as S1.15 per bushel for their wheat,
not the S2.05 which Mr.. Barnes gives as
a theoretical average. and that this
years crops may average not over $3.50
per bushel. In production OF wheat as
In other crops labor enters In the last
analysis as the chief item of cost and
city people hou realize that the effort
that is being made by the authority OF
the Government to restrict or still
further reduce the price at the farm
must inevitably lead to denying the
farmer living wages.
What has been said in detail relative
to the wheat situation applies In general
to every farm product, and while we
again express our approval OF every rea-
.sonable effort to reduce the cost of neces-
saries we wish also to emphasize that
care must be taken to safeguard the
farmers labor costs.
Insist on Rules Change.
I'VE at this time shall insist on q
change in the wheat standards so as not
to penalize every grower of wheat. Hun.
fdreds of millions OF bushels of wheat
have been shiveled by extreme heat this
season, which under the present grading
and discount rules may not average the
producer $3.50 per bushel. AUTHORITATIVE
Investigators have found such wheat tc
be OF the highest milling value and It ID
unthinkable that farmers should sustain
a loss OF from SO to rs cents per bushei
by reason OF the arbitrary standards
that ave been established. This wheat
In large measure will go into the pro.
duction of the best patent fiours and be
sold to the consumer at prices based or
No. 1 wheat. The producers are thereby
defrauded and the consumers receive nc
benefit"
IAN itinerant Government too muct
engaged in European disputes to look