Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1916 — THE WAR PUTTING UP FOOD PRICES [ARTICLE]

THE WAR PUTTING UP FOOD PRICES

It is possible and even probable that manipulation and speculation may have a very material bearing on the high cost of living in this country. Those who have investigated the subject contend that we are paying higher prices for some American products than are being paid by purchasers abroad. That, if shown to be a fact, would be due to manipulation as there is no good reason for charging two prices for any commodity. But the foreign demand unquestionably is the large factor in the prices our producers are getting. We exported, for example, 10,358,000 barrels of flour during the first eight months of this year. We exported in the same period 15,000,000 dozen of eggs. Those are samples of what we have been doing in reference to all kinds of food products. The enormous drain on our supply unquestionably has rUGKiWU fljftflff ,s ” k up the COST of producing milk and such other supplies as are not exported. The high cost of feed and the shrinkage in the supply of cows have their effect on milk prices, for example. It is apparent, therefore, that the war is the real lever that is raising the cost of living. Manipulators may be responsible to some extent, but it wrnuld be foolish to hope for much relief through efforts at bringing them to time.— Indianapolis Star.