The Sentinel=record., 1916-12-05

1 Washin2ton, Dee. f-The high cost of living and whata steps the federal government can take to control 1t be- came national question which the conyening of congress today which overshadowed all other issues iu thc first days nroceedsnes.
 The policy that President Wilson will deal with the subject in a spe- cial address grew stronger althoueh it was thought probable that the pres ident would select a separate oeca- sion for it. rather than to add it as ! q su. Dlement Co his general address l tomorrow.
 Eleven bills and resolutions seeking to check the soaring prices of foood by stopping shipment to Europe. re- ducins parcels post rates on foodstuffs or controlling cold storage were to- day introduced in the house.
 President Samuel Com. CTS and committee Of the American Federation of Labor called on President Wilson and asked him to appoint special commission to investigate food Ques- tions
 The president assured them that i the government would take some steps to meet the situation hut it vas not clear that they had been decided upon fully
 r The president is understood 10 rre-
 fer Ia1. to appoint a commission as 1t practically ~-tl4- 4e without author
 ity to compel testimony ,Hhile con
 gressional invesugation pf0p5,LI would mean a protracted delay.
 Re- orts being gathered by the dc. ,parltment of agricultural and com merce arc being laid before the pres ideut One report submitted today by Secretary Reducld and held coufiden- tial as yet is understood to show a wide margin between prices paid to producers and those paid by consum- CTS. In a recent address the president virtually charged the middleman with . responsibility for the high cost of living,
 The bills in congress are expected 70 produce general discussion of the subect but none of the admmistra- tion think the embargo measures cait pass A series of four introduced by Chairman Fitzgerald of the appro- priatiou commission propose embargo. reduction of parcel post rates. and re. striction of cold storaee.
 Representative NcLemore of Texas introduced resolution to prohibit interstate transportation Of foodstuff except meat and fruit, that have been kei in cold storage over g0 days One by Representative Sabath of Illinois would require cold storage ware houses to file reports with Ul de partment of agriculture showing food products stored fer interstate com. merce.
 Representative Sabath introduced another which would dictate the at. ,tOrney general to investigate the cause of unreasonable advances in prices of foodstuffs, cotton goods or fabrics, wood pull all kinds of paper and coal, insofar as they are claim ed to be affected by any conspiracy or combination and to report Co con. gress what remedies to apply.
 A joint congressional committee t0 investigate the whole food situation Iwas proposed by Re. res6ntatiye Lind borgh and Representative Carter, sought the appointment of a house special committee of nine members 10 investigate, and report recon mendat!ons back to congress within thirty days. Representative Stener- son of Minnesota proposed free admis. sion of seed wheat to help the Min uesota and North Dakota farmers ! Representative McKellar of Tennes. see, rcintroduced a bill to regulate cold storage of foood and Representa- | tive Farr of Pennsylvania introduced an embargo resolution on wheat flour Representative Adamson of Georgia chairman of foreign commerce com l mission, to whom the embaargo bills were referred announced that he | would oprose any sort of embargo.
 "The only embargo law we ever passed" Mr Adamson said, twas the most unpopular law ever enacted save ,rt,. tho ,,Itan ,nJ oad{tic, I,u, uslat