The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-03-14
EARMERS or BROWN COUNTY
MEET WITH WILSON
ASKINCFORWHEATPROBE
Claim That v. B.'vye Exceeded
His Authority; What May
Be Done

Shl at a mSctii5 Iciu at the SOuiiltT-
cial club Tuesday evening. Quite a
number of farmers from both Brown
and Nicollet counties were in attend
ance. Chairman George ID. Erick-
SON of the East Brown County Red
Cross chapter: Fred Nv. johnson.
former chairman; Charles A. Stolz,
county food administrator, and AT
torneys H. N. Somsen and w. H. Dem
psey were also among those present.
1t will be remembered that v. b.
WE, a Representative of the food ad ;
ministration. /of which Mr.. Wilson is
the executive. officer in this state,
made his headquarters in Sleepy
Eye number of weeks last summer.
He ascertained wheat was being hello
by farmers. WYE Informed them this
was in contravention 10 the regula-
lions OF the federal food administra-
ton. This wheat was hauled to
market, disposed of and in many in
stances the major share of the pro-
ceeds were donated to>the Red Cross
and other war activities by the own
ere of the cereal.
y, Were Given Alternative.
upon whose farms wheat
was found, were given the alternative
by Mr.. Wye of donating to the Red
Cross, according TO a determined
sum, or of taking their case up with
Mr.. WILSON direct Many chose the
former method. but a few did go -
{ ST. Paul and appeared before the
federal food administrator.
= Mr.. Wilson in his remarks infer
red the food administration had made
some mistakes, but farmers on the
other hand had also been in the.
right all the time. He implied it was
possible Mr.. wye had exceeded his
authority at times, but said If justice
had not been melted out in some
eases that adjustments would be made
Mr.. Wilson admitted, in certain in,
STANCES. Undue advantage might have
been taken by the representative of
The food administration of the farm.
er. who had wheat on hand.
e investigation Was Made.
~ The activities Of Mr. Wye have
been under Investigation for some!
s q f6 3 Hllf33 Der Of sepfesen tatizes
Df the food administration have
'Ylsited New Ulm during the past sew
eral months for this purpose.
Mr.. Wilson suggested that am i'm
partial board could hear the com q
plants of the different farmers, who
Thought they had been unjustly dealt
with or who had knowledge of irreg-
ularities on the rart of the food ad-
ministration's representative. Each
particular case would then be decided
upon its merits. d
Tells How Activity Started.
Mr.. Wilson explained that during
the spring Herbert Hoover, federal
food administrator, had stated but a
limited supply of wheat was visible
in the country. Hoover had COM
municated with Mr.. Wilson, asking
him how much OF the cereal was in,
Minnesota. He had replied the Wis
ible supply was about 10000. bus',c'G
Shortly thereafter --' came
through several channels to the food
administrators office that farmers in
the vicinity or Sleepy Eye were hold
ing their wheat, and making the
statements that they would not haul
it to market no matter what the gov
eminent wanted. The administrator
sent Mr.. Wye to Sleepy Eye to make
an investigation. The result was
that wheat was found on certain
farms, where 1t had been reported,
and the deeper the representative
dug into the situation, the more
wheat he unearthed. Finally. a thor
ough survey was made in Brown and
lnf hot
other counties in the state were Wis
tied and condition discovered.
Mr.. Johnson, former chairman OF
the East Brown County Red Cross
chapter, informed those present that
he. at the time. did not favor receiv-
ing funds from the source under dis
cussion, as in the future it might
initiate against the success of drives
made for the >benefit of the Red
Cross.
Belief Of Farmers.
Emil Golnick of Lafayette townhsip
stated many farmers had been led
to believe they could retain seed
wheat, and that he thought an allow
ance should be made for that. He did
not favor the REIMBURSEMENT of those
who had retained more wheat than
an amount to be used for seed, it is
said.
Attorney Somsen was of the opin-
ion the local Red Cross chapter
would be willing to reimburse the
farmers, as the funds were still on
hand. He thought the matter could
be disposed of at once. However, no
definite action was taken in the
premises, and Mr.. Wilson stated he
would be willing to make another
trip to New Ulm in the event it was
NECESSARY. He implied that it was
not his opinion full refundment would
be made for the funds donated to the
Red Cross, but if any farmer had
beent unjustly dealt with the irregus
larities would be ircned on.
The sum of $4,000 was turned over
to the New Ulm branch or the. East
Brown county Red Cross chapter
from the sale of wheat, held by
farmers in this vicinity; the Essig
branch received $4,000: Hanska, 5000,
and Albin 5000.
George Schwsnenberg, son of Mr..
Mrs. William Schwanenberg. who re-
Gently returned from overseas sery