FOOD CONTROL LAW. The much' creased demand for food from abroad t suit of the Great War made it imperathe the United States, upon its entry Into the it to safeguard its vast food supplies, that tb.2 might be sufficient to provide not only for home consumption and for our soldiers but for any and all shortages on the par I our allies. The methods of food contra .nce and Great Britain were, therefore, roughly studied, and their experience drawn in, that this nation might legislate most ely on so important a subject. The prin es of food control in Great Britain are expressed in the words of Lord Rhondda, food controller: "My aim is to safeguard interests of the consumer and to do away h profiteering altogether. The framework our machinery is formed on the civil service. ey are the administrators, but we secure the t available business men to advise them, as I as expert committees dealing with every commodity" After thorough study of the food problem, United States Congress passed the National 3d Control Law, which became operative 10 g. 1917. The act set forth that, owing to exigencies of war, the President was au razed to make regulations for carrying out long set of provisions, giving him very lad powers to cover all emergencies. Any lig approximating bribery or influencing of oats purchasing food supplies was made fishable by not over $10,000 fine and five irs' imprisonment. The destruction of food, steful practices, methods of limiting out t or exacting of excessive prices was pro ited. The President was authorized to :nse parties engaged in food storage, dis ninon and sale, and to prohibit others from caging in such work; licenses to be revo ile for bad conduct. This licensing did not 31y to farmers and retailers.
To stop hoarding of necessities methods re indicated, and violations made punishable fine not exceeding $5,000 and two years' prisonment. It was alsoprovided that any strict Court might seize and sell such hoarded pd, returning the surplus over costs to the rners. Conspiracy to interfere with trans rtation, handling and distributing necessities on conviction called for a possible $10,000 e and two years in prison. The President as authorized from time to time to requisition ods and fuels for the army and navy and mmon defense, under stated restrictions; ,o when necessary to requisition and take •er for the use of the government any fac ry, packing-house, pipe-line, mine, plant, etc., sential for national security and defense, oviding means of payment for same.
The broadest powers were extended to the resident in dealing with excessive and unjust od prices, this section being particularly med at control of exchanges, clearing-houses id boards of trade. Violations carried a .nalty not exceeding $10,000 and four years' mrisonment.
A long section of the law was devoted to heat prices, and the President was empowered fix a guaranteed price to stimulate produc on. Regulations were inserted against the ;e of foods, fruits and feeds for distillation beverages, the extent of such limitation eing largely left to the President's discretion. (e was also authorized to commandeer all dis lied liquors needed for redistillation in the ianufacture of munitions. Not over $1,000 ne and a year's imprisonment was the penalty it violation of this clause. For carrying out
le provisions of the Food Control Law $2, )0,000 was appropriated, and the further sum f $150,000,000 under certain provisions safe guarding the disbursements, one of which was a detailed report to Congress on each first of January.
The Food Control Law stipulates that its provisions shall end with the war with Ger many, and that the exact date of termination shall be determined and announced by the President. The act goes beyond mere food, covering very completely the production and distribution of coal and coke, empowering the fixing of prices and determination of who is and who is not entitled to use coal, and per mitting the taking over of mines or methods of distribution, the looking into the books and records of mine operators, and the fixing of prices, both for producers and dealers. The penalty for asking, demanding or receiving a higher price than fixed by the government, is fixed at not over $5,000 fine and two years' imprisonment. The ad concludes with em phasized clauses for restricting employees and officials of corporations for acts tending to limit the supply of foods and fuels, providing not over $5,000 fine and two years' prison penalty for violation. It specifically exempts farmers in retaining their own crops so far as needed for their family use. A separate clause of the law appropriates $10,000,000 for the purchase of nitrate of soda in 1917 and 1918, this added clause being evidently an afterthought or rider.
Immediately after the passage and approval of the law, the President appointed Herbert Hoover United States food administrator, and plans were announced for the control of wheat, flour and bread. The minimum price for wheat was set at $2 for the 1918 harvest, and as regulated by the committee wheat sold at varying prices in different cities; in Kansas City the price was $2.15; in Chicago, $220; in Baltimore and Philadelphia, $2.29 ; in New York, $2.30. Proprietors of grain elevators and mills were promptly licensed; grain exchanges were asked to suspend operations in °futures.* To conserve the wheat, the patriotism of the people was appealed to, and *wheatless days* recommended, and the use of corn, rye and even potato flour was stimulated. A $50,000,000 Food Administration Grain Corporation was formed, with all the stock owned by the United States government. The Allied governments agreed to purchase all the wheat that could be spared from American consumption, at the cost to the corporation. Leading men in the milling industry co-operated, and formed com mittees to carry out the objects desired. Mill ing divisions were established all over the country. Mr. Hoover also appointed Federal food administrators for every State in the Union. To prevent profiteering and also hard ship to anyone President Wilson announced a *Fair Price Committee,' President Garfield of Williams College accepting the chairmanship, and the membership being made up of men prominent is labor organizations, food asso ciations, agricultural colleges, chambers of commerce, etc. The wheat-purchasing division was headed by Mr. Hoover, assisted by men chosen from various associations familiar with conditions.