The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-07
FOOD MEASURE
WILL Be SPEEOED
BY LEGISLATORS
President Explains Allies
Pressing Needs to
Senators.
.vYA4 HE z-Er 1,4... q

, fflFA4 VAIN AkAfa2f
Washington, June THE urgent
necessity of speeding up food legisla-
ton was emphasized by President
Wilson last night inca conference with
senators at the White House. He
asked the senators to do what they
could to see that pending legislation
was hurried through so that the con-
troll of the country's food products
might be expedited The conference
had particular point because of it's CO.
Incidence with the statements IN the
House of Commons by. MIR. Bat hurst.
Secretary of the Food Control De-
partment, that 1t was "of the greatest
Importance to the success of the all
lied cause that the food exports from
America should he on the highest pos
sEble scale for the remainder of the
war and indicating that England
was disturbed over delay here in pass
! ing food regulation.
* At the conference were Senators
Underwood of Alabama, Walsh of
Montana, Sheppard of Texas, King of
Utah. Chamberlain of Oregon, and
Smith of South Carolina, Democrats
and Page of New Hampshire and
Warren of Wyoming, ranking Repuib-
hcans OF the Agricultural Committee.
All rthe Democratic senators except
Senators King and Walsh are on the
Agricultural Committee. Every one Of
these senators has taken an active
part in the food legislation at every
phase. 'Eti.s -sss -;
The conference lasted more than an
hour. President Wilson took the sem
ators into his confidence, telling them
that the situation before the country
and as it affected the Allies would be
grave. unless ample power were given
by Congress to adequately regulate the
country's food supply. This, he said,
must be done at once. The President
expressed concern over the future un-
less Congress took action to, insure
broad power to handle the situation as
I! emergency requires
Mr.. Wilson felt that farmers ought
tofibe encouraged to produce the big
gest crop the country has seen and
that one way to stimulate this was to
give the government the means to see
that the farmer got the most advan-
tageous price for his effort This
meant that there ought to he the fix
ing % as minimum price for agricul-
tufals products, a provision that is
contained in the Lever bill now in
Joint conference. The President want
ed the bill brought out as soon as pos
sible and acted on. One of the fea-
lures Of the bill is the provision for
: a food administrators
The President urged the senators
that a food administrator is needed
to successfully carry out the work of
( food control, and he hoped the oppo-
sition felt in the Senate. against it
would sbe 5isstpated He wanted the
senators to use every. influence to have
the remaining food bills put through
quickly, :
After the conferences it was lea m cd
that, while some of the Senators be-
4 lieved that the food control bill so,,el,t
to pass, others in the conference were
stin opposed to 1t. The bill will have
bitter opposition when It comes up,
The arEpfpeht4 agAinsts itstis that it
puts too much power into the hands
OF q Dictator
A Senator who has followed Con-
gresstonai action on the food bills
said last nissht, when his attention was
called to the statement OF Mr. Bath
urst and the anxiety over Congress
4 ional hardness displayed by the Lon
! don press, that he regarded the work
OF Congress as rather rernarkable for
tn speed. He pointed out that two
OF the Administrations most import
ant food bills had already passed. one
PROVIDES Tor food survey and food
stimulation It has gone through
both houses and now only awaits be-
ing reported out of a. joint conference
comittee, which is expected to reach
an agreement next week
The vital feature of the bill as
passed is the provision for food CEN
sus to ascertain agricultural stocks
and for aiding farmers in supplying
them with seed at cost price 1t, also
enables the President to control ship
ments of food SO that they do not ga
to. enemy destination
Another bill passed by the Senate
provides against food boarding and
against speculation in grain futures
This is to go to the House early next
week. The only remaining bill of ina.
portance to the administration is the
food control measure, carrying the
appointment of the food administra.
tor. 1t was said last night that al
the food bills probably would be dis.