The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1927-11-03
HOOVER HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
FIXING WHEAT PRICE

came into the limelight there has been much dis
cussion to the responsibility of fixing the basic
price of wheat at 1920 per bushel by the Fair
Price Committee appointed by President Wilson in
1917.
In public addresses and newspaper articles it
has been stated many times that Mr.. Hoover food
administrator in 1917, was responsible for the fix
ing of the farm price Of the wheat by this COM
mittee, and accordingly was opposed to Farm Re-
lief legislation.
Dr. Harry A. Garfield president Williams Col
lege was the chairman of Fair Price Commission.
The other members were: Charles j. Barrett pres
ident of the Farmers Union; William M. Doak, vice.
president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Train
men; Eugene e.. Funk, president of the National
Corn Association; Edmund F. Ladd, president OF
North Dakota Agricultural College; r.. Goodwin
Rhett, president of the Chamber of Commerce OF
the United States ]. W.. Shorthin, secretary of
the National Council of Farmers Cooperative AS
sociations; James W.. Sullivan, of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor; l.. j. Tabor, master of the Ohio
State Grange; Professor f. W. Taussig, of Har-
ward University, chairman of the United States
tariff commission Theodore N Vail, president of the
American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and
Henry j. Waters, president of the Kansas State Ag-
ricultural College.
In view of the probable candidacy of Mr. Hoover
for the Republican nomination for President, the
Kansas City Star wrote DR.. Garfield as follows:
'fMy Dear DIR. Garfield: With the presidential
campaign approaching, the statement is being
made in political speeches in the wheat belt
that Herbert Hoover was responsible for fixing
the war price Of wheat The statement sa often
arbitrarily and unfairly held down the farm
ers profits for the benefit of England. Our
understanding in the Star office is that a COM
mittee, of which you were chairman, deter
mined the price. But with the lapse of
years. recollections grow hazy. .-..-.
ave believe you would be doing public
service if you would send us the facts in the
for publication in the Star, so the public
may he correctly informed on this moot point.
Thanking you for any information you
can supply u.s. we are,
every truly yours,
'aThe Kansas City Star"
Mr.. Garfield had preserved the data of the
meetings of the committee and his reply to the Star
fatty and finally refutes the charges that Mr.. Hoov-
err was in any manner responsible for the fixing
of the price of wheat in 1917. His reply follows:
civilians College, Winiamstown, Mass
to The Star: l am in receipt of your letter of
September 20, and am pleased to lay before
you the facts with regard to the determine
ton of the price of the 1917 wheat crop.
GAS chairman of the commission appointed
by President Wilson to determine this price of
wheat for the 1917 crop, have carefully
preserved the data upon which findings OF the
commission were based I am the more willing
to reply-to your letter in view OF the persist
ent misstatement that Secretary Hoover de
termined the price. Mr. Hoover had absolute
ly no part in this matter other than to urge
upon President Wilson that some action must
be taken to protect the American farmer.
'1n order that this controversy should
be settled with finality, have laid the matter
before the surviving farmer members of the
fair price commission-Charles Barrett, pres
ident of the Farmers Union; J.. ]. Taber,
master of the National Grange; E. D. Funk,
at that time president of the Corn Growers As
ISOLATION, and W.. j. Shorthil secretary of
the Farmers Cooperative Elevators Associa-
ton. These gentlemen welcomed the oppor-
tunity to sign the attached statement, in which
1, together with Dr.; Hausig, the economist /
member, and Mr.. Doak, who represented the
railway brotherhoods, also concur.
"The occasion for the determination Of a
fair price arose from the fact that the allied
governments had consolidated their buying
agencies into one hand and, through this buy
ing power over the surplus controlled the
price of American wheat the moment that ex
ports of the new crop should begin. The al
lied buying agencies considered that they
should not pay more than $3.50 to $3.50 for
American wheat. They advanced the argu-
ment that abundant wheat existed in the Ar
gentine and in Australia at prices ranging
from 81 25 to $150 per bushel and the furth-
er fact that they had fixed the price to their