Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-07-27
SENATE PASSED
NEW FOOD BILL
CONTROL MEASURE FOR WAR
TIME LARGELY REWRITTEN
AFTER BITTER FIGHT.
WHEAT NOT LESS THAN 81 BU.
Prohibits Manufacture Of Distilled
Beverages-Buy Spirits-Said to
Be Blow at boarding Goods
for Speculation.


Washington. - The administration
food control bill, practically rewritten
after five weeks bitter contest, was
passed by the senate Saturday, 81 to
6. Conferees from house and senate
will begin work this week and leaders
are hopeful the measure may be in
the presidents hands in 10 days.
AS revamped the bill gives the pres
ident broad authority \ over foods,
feeds and fuels, the latter including
kerosene and gasoline; provides for
administration by a food board of
three members instead of an individ-
ual; authorizes federal fixing of coal
prices. requisitioning and operation
of mines and authorizes a minimum
a bushel for wheat at primary mar
kets.
Prohibits Distilled Beverages.
The senate prohibition sections, pro-
hibiting manufacture OF distilled bev-
erages during the war and directing
the president to buy all distilled spir-
its in bond was substituted for the
house bone dry provision and will be
one subject of difficulty in confer
ence.
Scores of amendments were dispos-
ed of but the principal features were
in the incorporation of the amend
ment authorizing the minimum wheat
price and another by Senator Pomerene
greatly broadening the governments
power to handle the coal situation.
The government guarantees for
wheat would be payable at all prin-
cipal interior primary markets until
July 1, 1919.
The Pomerene coal amendment di-
reefs the president, through the fed
eral trade commission or other
agency, to fix the coal prices, whole
sale and retail, regulate the entire in
dustry, and if necessary to take over
and operate coal mines and fix prices
of labor.
Appropriation in the house bill Of
$3.50. 000, 900 was left unchanged by
the senate. which added an a%ppropria-
ton of $40, 900 900, however, for feder-
al purchase and sale of soda nitrates
for fertalizer.
Another important senate addition
to the bill provides for a joint con-
gressional committee to supervise war
expenditures.
The senate also added provisions
against boarding of foodstuffs and
for regulation Of grain exchanges,
authorizes the president to close them
If necessary to stop trading in fu-
lures.
Though leaders secured adoption
Of all their compromise amendments
the small group Of senators who
have persistently fought the bill
claimed a share of success. Chairman
Gore Of the agricultural committee
withdrew his proposed substitute bill.
saying five of its seven principal
provisions had been adopted in the
measure before the senate.
The bill limits government control
virtually to the original subjects of
the house measure-food, feeds and
fuels.
In place of the house bills broad
provisions for licensing food dealers.
the senate bill limits federal licensing
to the foreign agencies, and those
only which have products in inter
state or foreign commerce, wheat ele-
vators, cold storage and packing
house. farm implement factories. coal
producers and dealers, and wholesal-
ers of designated necessaries.
CurtaiI House Measure.
The house bill provides for federal
requisitioning Of necessaries, limited
by the senate redraft to foods. feeds
and fuels, and other supplies for
military purposes only.
Government purchase and sale of
foodstuffs, to maintain reasonable
prices also limited by the senate
bill to fuel, wheat, flour. meal, beans
and potatoes.
The house provision for authority
to requisition factories generally
was curtailed by the senate to factor
les, packing houses, mines and other
plants needed for military or other
public use connected with the common
defense.
A senate amendment regarding
government war SUPPLIES purchased
through the defense councils advisory
commissions would prevent members
from soliciting federal contracts in
which they are peculiarly interested.
Among important provisions Of the
house bill stricken out was that es.
tablishing a general government con.
troll Of all necessaries. Neither house
nor senate draft contains the original
administration proposals for govern
ment control Of clothing and maxi.
mum price fixing.