The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-18
DEMANDS PROBE
WHEAT MARKET
Governor Allen Will Push Gov.
ernment Investigation.
Starts Fight Against Illegal
Gambling in Necessities.
TO LOOK INTO CHICAGO Market
Makes Every Effort to Have
President Wilson Act.
Kansas Farmers Might Have
Lost S1,000,00O He Says.
10 LOOK into CHICAGO Market

Governor Allen will push his de-
mands for government investigation of
the Chicago board OF trade. If 1t is
shown that the recent slump in wheat
and corn was due to specula ton
cold, deliberate gambling. the governor
calls it-and not conditions of supply
and demand, he may urge abolition of
the board. In any event he will fight
illegal gambling in necessities.
On his return from an eastern
speaking tour today, the governor told
of his plans to direct the fight against
board OF trade gamblers and specu-
lators. He said he would make every
effort to induce President wilson to
conduct an investigation of the Chi
cago board. The action of Governor
Allen as well as his positive position
regarding market speculation has at
tracted mach attention. He Is making
MS fight in direct opposition to the
position of Herbert Hoover, who last
week told Kansas farmers the board
was as essential as the banking in
dustry.
Gamble On Necessities.
TT is impossible to conceive how
various forms of gambling in the state
and nation should be made illegal and
yet become perfectly legitimate when
tAAO SRCNdlatOAS anu gamblers are DlaV-
ing with and betting on the prices of
the food we must eat and the clothes
we must wear said the governor
. II 1t is Illegal to bet on a horse race.
now can we reason that it is good
PUBIC policy to gamble on bread and
cotton and other necessities.
My position is simply this. have
asked President Wilson to conduct an
investigation of the recent sllnp in
the wheat market. Since that demand
was made 1 have received many re-
quests that the investigation be ex-
tended to manipulations in the cotton
market. The investigation, tho. should
apply to all necessities 1t should de-
termine whether the prices are fixed
by gamblers and manipulators-per-
sons in possession of first hand or ad-
vance Information regarding crops and
markets-or whether the prices are
based on the common laws of supply
and demand.
Forced to Lose S1OO, 200. 900.
Had the Kansas farmers sold their
wheat under the recent break they
would have been forced to lose $780,
100000 1 cannot see the merit of a
legalized gamble in necessities by per-
sons who sell thousands of bushels OF
grain they do not own and who buy
thousands of bushels of grain that is
never delivered. If the purpose of the
Chicago board of trade-or any other
boards to provide a place where
prices are basedrDn the balance of a
gamble in futures and not actual buy
ing, and selling, then such places
should go out of business.
Investigate Board of Trade.
my request to President Wilson,
tho. has been merely for an investiga- :
ton as to operations on the board. I
a m now awaiting action on that re-
quest and believe an investigation will
show some startling facts and condi-
tons"
Governor Allen is spending a busy
day in hiS office after a speaking trip
thru New Jersey. Ohio and Indiana.
He will leave at 5 O'Clock this evening
for Ottawa, and speaks tonight in his
former home town. He will spend
the remainder of the week campaign
ing in the Second and Third congress
sional districts. -