The sun., 1917-06-12
FOOD
CONTROL BILL Is
SENT TO HOUSE
New Measure COnfers More
Arbitrary Power on
President Wilson.
EIGHT BIG FEATURES
Appropriates S152,5OO,OOO to
Put War Emergency Act
Into Effect.

WASHINGTON. June 1l-with only
three dissenting votes the House Com
mittee on Agriculture to-day ordered re-
ported food control bill more drastic
in the powers conferred on the Presi-
dent than anything that has been intro
duced in either branch Of Congress. The
measure Yields nothing in scope or Sc
verify to that introduced last month by
Chairman Lever of the Agricultural
Committee. although several sections are
eliminated from the original draft.
The new bill probably will be formally
reported later in the week. Considera-
tion in the House probably will follow
Immediately after action on the river
and harbor bill.
here are the important features Of
the measure as finally agreed to:
]. Creates a Government control of
neceesaries" feeds and fuel--in-
cluding every known etep and process
from production to consumption OF such
necessaries. vesting this control in the
PRESIDENT and authorizing the creation
by him OF agencies for the exercise Of
such powers as are granted.
:. Prohibits boarding or destruction OF
necessaries under heavy penalties.
3. Authorizes Government purchase
Manufacture or storage OF necessaries in
the discretion OF the President
Licenses for Food Traders.
4. Provides for the licensing OF all
Importers and exporters
b. Authorizes tho Prcsidont L., Al.
cretion TO prohibit in whole or in part
and for such period OF time as he NAV
deem necessary the use of foodstufY, for
the manufacture OF beverages Of such
alcoholic content as the President NAV
prescribe.
s. Empowers the President to govern.
supervise or prohibit in whole or in mart
operations on stock or produce exchanges
or boards Of trade involving prices OF
foodstuns and to require periodical re-
ports from all such bodies, detailing
their operations and conveying such in
formation as the President or his food
control agent may require.
Z. Provides Government subs,dja ~
or minimum price guarantee for any
necessary production for which the
President may deem stimulation BY such
means necessary. Authorizes the Presi-
dent in this connection to offer the pro-
lection of increased transfer rates TO
such commodities.
Provides &152.5OO,OOO Fund.
y. Appropriates. to be Immediately
available, sl52.50O. 900. OF which 81. 500 !.
600 is for the construction of admInis-
trative machinery and $3.50, 200. 600 Of
which is TO be expended at the direction
OF the President for the purposes OF
this act"
Four sections carried In the original
Lever bill were eliminated by the com
mittee, but except in two instances such
elimination did not tend to curtail the
powers granted the President The sec
tons authorizing the President. first. to
prescribe the percentages OF -four which
are to be derived from wheat OF various
classes and. second. to request adultera-
tion OF wheat -four with corn or other
cereals were stricken out because of
fear on the part OF the milling industry
and the committee that return to old
mixed flour conditions might result
The maximum price section went out
as a seeming concession to certain mem
bers OF the committee. though other sec
tions would seem clearly to accord the
President authority to fix prices The
section authorizing him to nx standards
on certain commodities was elmina ed
as impracticable.
Other Radical CHANCES.
Shoes and clothing were eliminate ed
from the commodities included under the
term ''necessaries' and a prohibition was
inserted against destroying necessaries
or seeking to restrict their production.
Importers and exporters were included
in the provisions OF the license section
and the regulation Of exchange was
made more sweeping by adding a re-
quirement that records be kept and re-
ports and sworn statements be made TO
the President at bis demand new
section was inserted making more spe-
clhc the authority under which the
President may appoint food controller
without compensation. These and the
SEQ OOO. 900 appropriation were the i'm
portant changes made by the committee
in the Lever bill as introduced on May %
last.
Three members OF the committee
Representatives Ward. New York. and
Wilson, Illinois. Republicans. and Young.
Texas Democrat--voted against a favor
able report OF the bill. chiefly on the
ground that the necessity for such
drastic action as proposed has not been
demonstrated and that no man can de-
clare authoritatively that any such
necessity exists now or will exist In the
future.
Food survey Hill "Enough."
They declared the food survey bill,
with the Senate anti-hoarding amend
ment attached. represents the length to
which Congress should go at this time
and that the operation OF that bill, II
enacted. would not only remedy much of
the evil feared but would demonstrat q
quickly whether any further and more
dra site legislation Is needed at this time.
The minority members declared that
section 3, combined with section l6, re-
tain TO the President all the mower
which the elimination OF the standard
ization. maximum price, milling and
mixed -four sections sought to withhold
Section provides that the Govern
ment control shall extend to and in
clude all the processes, methods, activl-
ties OF and for the production. manu-
facture. procurement, storage. distribu-
ton, sale. marketing, pledging. financing
and consumption Of necessaries. which
shall be exercised and administered by
the President" and section is provides
that the President Is authorized ia
make such regulations and Issue such
orders as are essential effectively Ia
carry out the provisions of this act"
The part added by the COMMITTEES tc
Continued on Second Page.