Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-04-30


its present price 1t will pay the farm
err to sow oats and other grains rath-
er than wheat and use them for feed
ing purposes.
Foreseeing this condition the gov
eminent issued the following state
ments on February II:
ut is hoped that before the au-
tumn of 1921 the importation and
control of the price of wheat by the
government will have ceased, and the
farmers will secure the benefit of a
free market at the prevailing world
prices. So long as wheat is still con-
trolled and thereby deprived of a
free market the control price of
homegrown wheat of sound milling
quality harvested in 1921 will be the
average C. i. t. (cost, insurance,
freight) price for the 10 months end
ing August 81, 1921, of imported
wheat of similar or comparable quail
| ity, provided the price so paid to the
grower shall not exceed zoos per
quarter of 504 pounds ($3.04 per
bushel.
| 1t is of the utmost Importance in
the national interest that the wheat
area should be largely increased and
that the conversion of arabic land in
to grass should be arrested and dis
couraged. This is pressed not to
benefit the producer, to whom under
present conditions grass farming is
more attractive, but in the interest Of
the consumer and of the agricultural
laborer, whose opportunities of en-
ployment will be greatly restricted
unless the arabic area is main
tanned"
1t will be observed that the notice
assumes that the present maximum
price for the 1920 crop will hold
good, as the crop was planted under
this maximum guarantee.
On March 4 the emergency COM
mittee of the Royal Agriculturay So
ciety met and passed resolution
that the present price for the 1920
crop be raised to that proposed for
the 1921 crop. This has started a
rather serious agitation, and the end
is not in sight. Throughout the CON
troyersy it is generally admitted that
in 1921 the amount of foreign wheat
at the governments disposal will be
small, and that there is every reason
to encourage a larger home produc-
ton.
Bread, the staple diet of the poor
er classes, is selling at what is gen
orally considered the highest price
the working man will tolerate with
out grave disorders. The prewar
price of a standard loaf was not more
than ed (12 cents) BY the summer
of 1917 it had advanced to Id or Is
(22-24 cents). However, owing TO
the discomfort caused by this price,
the government arbitrarily fixed the
price of the loaf at Cd (18 cents) and
supplied the bakers with flour at a
loss. This loss involves the payment
of state subsidy of $25O,000,O00 a
year. 1t is also generally stated that
the government can not increase this
enormous subsidy, as the taxpayer is
now burdened to the breaking point |
These questions and their settlement
are among the most important sub
jects before the English people to-
day.
After the receipt of the foregoing
report, the following cablegram was
received from the American consul
general at London regarding the
maximum price for British wheat:
Prime minister announces price
1920 wheat crop shall be monthly
average C. i. f. price of imported
wheat Of similar quality, provided
price SO paid to home grower shall
not exceed 95s per quarter of 504
pounds ($2.89 per busheD ;"
AS exchange adjusts itself, the
British farmer will obtain a better
price for his wheat. In case of
shortage the price of wheat imported
into Great Britain will increase and
will probably carry along with it the
price of the British-gown product,
up to the maximum of 95s