Middletown transcript., 1917-06-30
Government Is Now Going After
the Food, Munition and
Fuel Pirates.
CONTROL BILL IN CONGRESS
Other Agencies Attacking the Profit
eers-PIans Pushed for Huge Amer
lean Air Army-Russia Deter
mined to Continue the
War Against German
AbsoIutism.
By EDWARD w. PICkARD.

Uncle Sam last week began paying
more special attention to the pirates
that infest the land-the food pirates,
the munition pirates, the fuel pirates
and all the obnoxious brood of prof
iteers whose greed for money Obliter-
ates their patriotism, if they ever had
any of the latter quality. The warfare
against these men and corporations is
being carried on in the way of judicial
Investigations that will result in in
dictments and in proposed legislation
by congress. The latter, of course, is
the administration food control bill,
which the president has been urging
toward passage with the forceful as
sistance of Herbert c. Hoover. Mr..
Hoover told q bunch of senators on
Tuesday why the measure should be
passed, and answered all the Objec-
tons of its opponents. headed by Yard
aman. Gore and Reed.
In the house on Thursday Represen-
tatives Madden and Cannon Of Illinois
made an attempt to have cotton in
Guided among the articles to be put
under control, but the Southern Dem
ocrats rushed to the rescue of the cot
ton planter and defeated the plan. The
majority also voted down proposition
by Haugen of Iowa to include cloth
ing shoes and implements in the meas
ure. The opposition to the bill in the
house was weaker than in the senate.
Senator Sherman of Illinois fiercely
attacked the measure as one designed
to favor the city dweller and union Ia
Dor and to injure the farmer, and he
took the opportunity to say some very
severe things about the administration,
asserting 1t had been asleep for two
years and now had walked up into hys-
terra.
Daniels JoIts the Extcrtionists.
Secretary Daniels became weary of
the extortionS Of the fuel magnates,
and on Monday announced that the
coal and oil the navy needed would be
taken by the government and paid for
Mt prices to be fixed by the govern
ment Producers of steel found them
selves facing the prospect Of the same
action.
Organized labor also took hand in
the fight on the food eXtortionists and
notified the administration, through
the American Federation of Labor.
that unless the prices Of the necessi-
ties Of life are brought down to rea-
sonable figures. there probably will be
an epidemic of strikes, possibly even
national tie-up in many industries.
The federal trade commission an
nounced 1t was ready to begin its in
vestigation Of food conditions on July
/; the information obtained will be
turned over to the food administrator
and the department Of justice.
Why should not the press of the
country print prominently the names
of the despicable creatures who are
taking advantage of the nations
needs? Decent motives being lacking.
fear of the public wrath might oper
ate to induce them to cease their ne
farious work
Planning Great Air Army.
More and more the government is
becoming convinced that Americas
first big play in the war must be in
In the air, and the plans for speedily
sending many thousands of airplanes
and aviators to the front from this
country are being pushed with vigor.
Congress is asked 10 make an aero
nautic appropriation of 5000, 900. 600