The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-06-07
FOOD BILL PASSED EY SENATE.
Numerous Amendments Attached to
Mea>.lre Sent to Conference.

Washington, June 2.-The first Of
the administration food bills already
passed by the House passed the Sen
ate late today without record vote.
Numerous amendments were attached
to the measure, which provides for a
food survey and crop stimulation, and
it was sent to conference, where the
differences will be thrashed out while
the two houses are considering the
second measure, providing for food
control and price fixing.
The bill restricts drastically the
storing of foodstuffs, fuel and other
necessities, and speculation in futures
and carries total appropriation of
approximately 100000.
No Hoarding.
Hoarding or storage of food, fuel
or other necessities of life in order to
limit the supply or effect prices would
be made a felony under a Senate
amendment but farmers who hold
their own products would be excepted.
The amendment restricting futures
trading, written by Senator Nelson
and voted into the bill, 81 to II, just
before passage, provides:
eff at any time during the pend
ency of the existing war between the
United States and the German Empire
the President of the United States
shall find that dealing in futures in
or about any grain exchanges, un-
duly or unreasonably raise or enhance
the price of wheat or other food
cereals, to the injury of the people
of the United States, he may at once
request the traders in such exchanges
to discontinue for time specified by
him all dealings in futures.
Suspend Futures.
"In case such request is not prompt
ly complied with then he is hereby
empowered to order such dealings in
futures as last aforesaid to be en-
tirely suspended and discontinued for
such limited time as he may direct,
and if such order is not promptly
complied with he may by proclama-
tion declare such legislation closed
and thereafter it shall, be unlawful
to utilize or permit to be utilized such
building or room as grain exchange
or for any person being a trader in
grain or such exchange to engage in
the business heretofore conducted on
or at such closed exchange.
ANY person violating any provis-
ions of this act shall be punished
by fine of not less than $500 or by
Imprisonment for not more than one
year, or by both such fine and impris-
onment."
Inquistorial Power.
The Senate also voted to curtail
the inquistorial power given the Sec
retary of Agriculture in the investiga-
tion of food resources The House
bills would compel the attendance of
witnesses and the submission of
books and other records under heavy
penalty. The Senate agriculture COM
mittee amended the provision so as
to give the Secretary general authori-
zation to Investigate the food situa-
tion, making it the duty of any per-
son when requested by the Secretary
to answer all questions necessary to
carry into effect the provisions o6this
section"
The House appropriation of ST.
$4,000 to pay for the survey was ac-
cepted unchanged.
The section authorizing the gov
ernment to sell seeds to the farm
ers also was amended so as to pro-
vide that sales be made for cash only.
The power to compel persons having
seeds at their disposal to furnish
them to the government was greatly
curtailed and the appropriation car
ried for the work was reduced from
s5,778, 900 to s2,500,000. The House
appropriation for eradication of live
stock diseases was eliminated and an
appropriation CT sSSO,OOo was added
to stimulate live stock production.
Had No Guess Coming.