Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-05
BATTLE TO CUT
COST OF LIVING
ON IN CONGRESS
Eleven Bills and Motions Are
Offered Proposing Food En-
barge and Other Ways
of Reducing.
WILSON WILL TAKE IT UP
Labor Delegation Asks Pre-
I dent to Appoint Inquir ~.
Commission. ~
-
OTHER ISSUES IN = DOW
WILSON WILL TAKE IT UP
OTHER ISSUES IN & DOW

Washington, Dec. 4,-The high cost
OF living and what steps the federal
government can take to control it as
summed proportions as national ques-
ton with the converting of congress
today, which overshadowed all other
issues in the first days proceedings.
The possibility that President Will
son will deal with the subject in a
special address grew stronger, al
though it was thought probable that
the president would set separate
occasion for it, rather than 10 speak
of it in his general address tomorrow.
Eleven bills and resolutions, seek
ing to check the soaring prices Of
food by stopping shipments to Eu-
rope, reducing parcel post rates on
food .tu~s, or controlling cold stor-
age, were today introduced in the
house.
Will Take Some Steps.
President Samuel Gompers and a
committee of the American Fedora
ton of Labor called on President Viii
son and asked him to appoint spe-
cial commission to investigate the
food question. The president assured
them that the government would take
some steps, as yet undecided, to meet
the situation.
Reports gathered by the Depart
ment of Agriculture and Commerce
were laid before the president as fast
as they were compiled, and on them
he is expected to decide on any action.
One report submitted today by Sec
,retary Redfeld and held confidential
as yet, is understood to show wide
margin between prices paid to pro-
ducers and those paid by consumers.
In recent address the president vir-
tually charged the middlemen with
responsibility for the high cost Of
living.
No Chance for Embargo
The bills in congress are expected
to produce general discussion of the
subject, but none OF the administers
ton leaders think the embargo can
pass. A series of four. introduced by
Chairman Fitzgerald of the appropri-
alton committee, propose embargo re-
duction of parcel post rates and re-
striction of cold storage.
Representative McLemore of Texas,
introduced resolution top rohibit
interstate transportation of food prod
ucts, except meats and fruits, that
have been kept in cold storage over
ninety days. One by Representative
SABBATH of Illinois would require cold
storage warehouses to file annual re-
ports showing food products stored
for interstate commerce.
Representative SABBATH introduced
another which would direct the attor-
ney general to investigate the causes
of unreasonable advances in prices of
foodstuffs and other products insofar
as they are claimed to be affected by
any combination or conspiracy, and
to report to congress what remedies
should be adopted.
Inquiry Is Proposed.
A joint congressional committee to
investigate the whole food situation
was proposed by Representative Lind
bergh of Minesot, and Representative
Carter of Massachusetts sought the
appointment of a house special COM
mttee of nine members to investigate
and report recommendation to con-
gress within thirty days.
Representative Steernerson of Min
nesota, and North Dakota farmers
Representative McKellar of Tennes-
see reported his bill to regute cold
storage of food, and Representative
Farr of Pennsylvania, reintroduced
his measure for ap rovfsional embargo
on wheat and wheat flour.
Representative Adamson of Geor-
gia, chairman of the house interstate
and foreign commerce committee to
which the embargo bills were referred,
announced during the day that he
would oppose any sort of embargo.
The only embargo law we ever
passed. said Mr.. Adamson, was the
most unpopular law ever enacted save
only the alien and sedition laws. That
embargo law was repealed as soon as
possible. 1t was dead letter before