Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1918 — OFFICIAL FOOD NEWS [ARTICLE]

OFFICIAL FOOD NEWS

By Dr. Harry E. Barnard,

Federal

Food Administrator for Indiana.

Park County retail grocers have organized to co-operate with the Food administration and as evidence of their sincerity agreed to buy no more candy containing sugar and to sell no more after their present stock is exhausted. The American Hay Company of Goshen contracted to sell hay In South Carolina last fall at $26 per ton. In eight months it Tried to fulfill these deferred contracts at an advance of $8 per ton. The result is that for six months the firm will be without the federal license to enable It to continue business. Food Administrator A. F. Helmkamp of Clark county took over th® Ice manufacturing business of Timothy Asberry, who refused to make and deliver ice to a sweltering public for 5® cents per 100 pounds. The food administrator was commended for his action by Dr. Harry E. Barnard, federal food administrator for Indiana. Asberry will conform to the 50 cents a hundred price or quit business permanently, Dr. Barnard says.

The Lincoln Way Brass Foundry Company of South Bend must find a substitute for the edible wheat flour it holds nepessary for fulfilling government war contracts, or give up the contracts. Food comes before brass, Di>Barnard says. There should be no relaxation whatever in the conservation of wheat, Dr. Barnard announces following a conference with the federal food administrators in Washington. Herbert Hoover advises patriot*#’ people to help store up the harvest that may be needed to tide the world over the periods of lean crops which must Inevitably follow. Poultry and egg dealers, including all retail grocers, and all hucksters who buy eggs from farmers for sale to shippers or commission men must secure federal licenses without delay or quit business. This is in accbrd with the president’s proclamation of May 14. The sale of bad eggs will be the basis for proceedings to suspend license and also is a violation of the state pure food laws, making It a particularly dangerous offense. Inspectors of weights and measures have been directed to examine all’ grain scales before the wheat harvest, to insure the producer and buyer a square deal. This order is from the office of the state inspector who IS a part of the staff of the federal food administrator for Indiana.

Decided reduction in prices for wheat mill feeds have\ been ordered by the Food Administration. Although it has brought about a general downward movement In mill feed prices, the FOod Administration points out that the amount of wheat mill feeds to be obtained is small in proportion to 'the demand and that the most practicable means of reducing feeding costs lies in a more general use of the coarse grain byproducts which may now be had in abundance, Under the new schedule prices are still based on the price of wheat. The maximum bulk price of bran bears the same relation to wheat as formerly—3B per cent, of the average cost to the mill. The price of flour middlings, which was $9 per ton above the .price of bran, has been reduced to a differential of $2.00. Red dog, which bore a differential of sls, has also been reduced to $2.00. Mixed wheat feed prices; which were $4.00 per ton above bran, must now be no more than i $1.25 higher. Shorts, standard middlings, gray shorts and gray middlings now bear a bulk price that must not exceed bran by more than $2.00 ner ton.

These prices are for bulk earloads at the mill. By proclamation of the President, signed May 11, 1918, the class of trade commonly known as the farm implement industry is to bo licensed. This does not affeect retailers doing a business not exceeding SIOO,OOO an? nually. The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to carry out the provisions of the proclamation and the regulations under it. License must be secured not later than .lune 20, 1918, by applying to the Department, License Division, U. S. Food Administration, Washington, 1). C. Among the practices which are pro hibited by the new regulations are: Unreasonable increase in prices or restriction of supplies, resales within the trade without reasonable justification, unjust profits and attempts to monopolize. Inspection of property and records by proper representatives of the Secretary of Agriculture U authorized.