The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-07-26

PASSES SENATE.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES NOW
AT WORK-PRESIDENT TO HAVE
BROAD POWER HEREUNDER,

BROAD POWER HEREUNDER.
The administration food control
bill, virtually rewritten after five
weeks of bitter contest, was passed
Saturday by the United States Sem
ate, 81 to 6. Conferees from House
and Senate began work early this
week and leaders are hopeful the
measure may be in the Presidents
hands in ten days.
AS revamped the bill gives the
President 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 indi-
vidual; authorizes federal fixing of
coal prices, requisitoning and opera
ton of mines, and authorizes min
lmum guaranteed price of not less
than 81 per bushel for wheat at
primary markets. The Senate pro-
hibition sections, prohibiting manu-
facture of distilled beverages dur
ing the war and directing the Presi-
dent to buy all distilled spirits in
bond, was substituted for the House
bone dry" provision and will be
one subject of difficulty in confer
ence.
Scores of amendments were dis
posed of Saturday but the principal
features were the incorporation Of
the amendment authorizing the
minimum wheat price and another
by Senator Pomerene greatly broad
ening the governments power to
handle the coal situation. The gov.
ernment guarantees for wheat will
be payable at all principal interior
primary markets until July 1, 1919.
The Senate rejected, 40 to 33. an
amendment by Senator Norris to
have the food board instead of Con-
gress fix the minimum price.
The Pomerene coal amendment,
incorporated by vote of II to IL,
directs the President through the
federal trade commission or other
agency to fix coal prices, wholesale
and retail, regulate the entire in
dustry and, if necessary, take over
and operate coal mines and fix prices
of labor.
On a final vote the Senate refused,
60 to 90, to place the bills admins
tration in the hands of an individual,
Senator Underwood said the admin
istration would endeavor to substi-
tute the original house provision for
single administrator. This will be
another source of conference trouble.
Appropriation in the bill of $10.-
100000 was left unchanged by the
Senate, which added an appropria-
tion OF sl0,000,000, however, for
federal purchase and sale of soda
nitrates of fertilizer.
Another important Senate addi-
tion to the bill provides for a joint
congressional committee 10 super
I wise war expenditures.
The senate also added provisions
against boarding of foodstuffs and
for regulation of grain exchanges,
authorizing the president to close
them if. necessary to stop specula-
ton in futures.
Although leaders succeeded in Sc
curing adoption of all their COM
promise amendments. the small
group of Senators who have persist
emily fought the bill Saturday night
claimed share of success. Chair
man Gore of the agriculture COM
mittee withdrew his proposed SUBJ
stitute bill, saying five of its seven
principal provisions had been finally
adopted in the measure before the
Senate.
The bill limits government con-
troll virtually to original subjects of
the house measure-foods, feeds
and fuels.
In lieu of the House bills broad
provisions for licensing food dealers
the Senate bill limits federal licens-
ing to the following agencies and
these only which haye products in
interstate or foreign commerce:
Wheat elevators, cold storage and
packing houses, farm implements,
factories, coal producers and dealers
and wholesalers of designated nec-
essaries.
The House bills provision for fed
eral requisitioning of necessaries is
limited by the Senate redraft to
food, feeds and fuels, and other sup.
plies for military purposes only.
Government purchase and sale of
foodstuffs to maintain reasonable
prices also are limited by the Senate
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