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Show ADMINISTRATION OF FOOD In the period of restoration to peace we will doubtless come upon many involved invol-ved problems, there being those among us who will demand a speedy return of whatsis termed individual enterprise, and others who will find virtue in govern- . mental administration of certain industries? indus-tries? - ; - . , ., ' ' JIt is riot proposed to" engage in the sulj? ject at large, but refer particularly to a matter which, more than any other ele- 1 mental emotion, affects us all alike; and. that is(the 'subject of food. The distribu-. ! tidnJ of foodstuffs and the . discussion thereof, hiwjdways been considered- a - coW'ecohomictopic, in spite of the fact thAtthelhch;oftoger1& ly intimate: emoUon. In.regarding it frotV tlitf impersonal standpoirit we arc always -halted therefore drawn in Garlyle's French repolutibn of the haggard, ragged rag-ged young-woman who wason theverge ;of insanity from. hunger, trundling her starving infant about the streets 6f Paris ' and "uttering cries, relative to the defi-' iciency dfvgiains:w, " r In our more idlrect habit of thought and expreusiori there is something both ludi-.' crous and exceedingly pitiful in the spec-' tacle of- a starving woman who, instead ' ' of saying "I amvj nungrymy baby is 1 starving," goes about "uttering cries 'rel' iative to the deficiency of grains." And yetthat'was precisely the, trouble; there" was a deficiency ol grains a thing that ' is' not 'the seat of trouble in America half' so much as the deficiency of honesty on. the partrof profiteering provisionprs.t We may wellvbe going about the streets uttering 'cries relative to the deficiency of common honesty. Price is regulated by demand. " There is always a demand ' for food. Wherefore, reasons the profiteer, prof-iteer, if there is not a demand it iareasy & create one. r v Eggs are scarce inrwinter but abundant abund-ant in summer. The consumer cannot lay by eggs, but the cold storage house can." Therefore the profiteer- buys all the eggs He can, lay his hands on, and i'i the winter there ensues the demand. And Jthe public must, to quote' a pert collo-'qualism, collo-'qualism, "come across." Of all industry-it would seem that that Which directly interferes with the right of a human" being to 'supply the natural; and fundamental need for food is the most pernicious. There are lines of transportation, trans-portation, but in the extreme emergency one can refrain f rpm traveling, or at least walk. There are places of amusement, amuse-ment, but one can eschew ."amusement. There is artificial light, but one, oan ve-ttilV ve-ttilV at dusk' and"the"sun costs Turning. -l But m rtss has jet Imp dissevered wjio v - could manage without food; In the distribution of food it is riot claimed that provision merchants' should surrender any of' their rights. But they 'should surrender the, wrong of hoarding warehouses of food at a price that mearfs ? starvation; weakened bodies,, iU: health: ' and; reduced morak JtBQSB59si J Except in , rare instances, which;1 incU' de.ntp,faf.;due;tb;the.need forimme ; diate supervisibri, the food administra-i administra-i tioii has bena moBtvbeneficient' institution. institu-tion. It pointed the means. of stopping profiteering by sme real' penalty; -'Pen-;alties hi the cotshave either not- been ;a sufficient determent; or have not been employed. The Icnalty laid by the food administration; is one of subtracted profits. prof-its. When you take profits from a food pirate you strike, him in a. part much more vulnerable) than his Heart 1 The public Has bee?n happier .underfood administration and tKe'" great .mass of honest merchants "'has hot 'suffered, It seems that we are due for a return to the "cornering" process.1 A competent food administration with war powers, if need be, has been proved a healthy equipment equip-ment of the nation. Would it be wise to discard it? Chicago Tribune. ' |