25)  was  jubilant:  "Various  reasons Jwill4be  advanced  as  to  why
free  wheat  was  granted,  but  it  may  be^taken^as  a  fact  that  the  real
reason  is  that  the  great  bulk  of  the  grain  growers  in  Western  Canada
have  demanded  free  wheat  and  have  determined  to  get  it  by  the
use  of  their  votes.  .  .  .  Minneapolis  prices  have  ruled  from
five  to  ten  cents  over  Winnipeg  for  many  years,  but  now  they  are
certain  to  be  equalized.  It  will  give  permanence  to  the  wheat
growing  industry  and  will  attract  immigrants  to  this  country."

Following  these  events  the  Government  (June  11)  appointed  a
Board  of  Grain  Supervisors  to  supervise  the  grain  production  and
trade  of  Canada.  It  was  composed  of  Robert  Magill  (Chairman),
Secretary,  Winnipeg  Grain  Exchange;  H.  W.  Wood,  President,
United  Farmers  of  Alberta;  S.  K.  Rathwell,  grain  producer,  Moose
Jaw;  T.  A.  Crerar,  Grain  Grower:^, Grain  Co.,  Winnipeg;  J.  C.  Gage,
President,  Grain  Exchange,  Winnipeg;  W.  R.  Bawlf,  grain  dealer,
Winnipeg;  W.  L.  Best,  Labour  representative,  Ottawa,  and  Controller
Joseph  Ainey,  Montreal;  Lionel  H.  Clarke,  Toronto  Harbour  Com-
mission; W.  A.  Mathewson  of  Winnipeg  and  James  Stewart,
British  Wheat  Purchasing  Commission,  Winnipeg.  The  Commission
was  given  power  to  fix  grain  prices  on  shipment  from  storage  eleva-
tors but  not  the  price  paid  to  farmers;  it  could  accept  offers  of
purchase  from  British  or  Allied  Governments  and  determine  what
quantity  to  sell  and  prices  required;  it  was  given  authority  to  take
grain  from  elevators  without  the  owners'  permission  and  fix  prices  to
them  and  the  purchasers;  it  could  investigate  storage  and  accumulation
of  grain  and  prevent  the  restriction  of  marketing;  it  could  ask
the  Railway  Commission  to  order  cars  to  any  point  and  in  any  num-
ber— notwithstanding  the  powers  of  the  Grain  Act;  pending  the
formation  of  a  U.S.  Board  the  Commission  was  to  try  and  hold
prices  on  a  parity  with  those  of  the  Republic.  Sessions  commenced
at  Winnipeg  on  June  20  and  many  interests  were  heard  on  varied
problems  and  conditions.  The  first  important  action  was  the  fixing
of  the  maximum  price  for  1916  wheat,  then  in  storage,  at  $2.40,  to
come  into  effect  on  Aug.  1;  the  second  was  the  ensuing  prohibition
on  export  of  this  grain  to  the  United  States  without  permission.
