The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-08
End of Long and AimIess
Debate Will Come This
Afternoon
EVEN OPPONENTS SAY
ADOPTION is. CERTAIN
Bill Will Not Go to President Until
Friday, as House Will Not Be
in Session-Few More
Speeches

Washington. August 7.--After anoth-
err days debate of the administration
food control bill the Senate late today
reached a formal agreement by unan-
imous consent to finally vote tomorrow
Mt 4 o'clock on the conference report,
which was approved by the House last
week.
Both advocates and opponents of the
legislation said tonight there was no
doubt of the Senates approval of the
conference report, probably by an over
whelming majority. Sending of the
measure to President Wilson for his sig
nature. will be delayed until Friday, be-
cause the House adjourned today until
Friday and the final draft must be
signed by presiding officers of both
houses.
SPEECH MAKING NEAR END
But few speeches are expected in the
Senate tomorrow before the vote. Ad-
ministration leaders predict that there
will be less than a dozen votes finally
registered in opposition. Immediately
after its disposition it is planned to adopt
the conference report on the first admin
istration food bill, providing food sur
vey and appropriations. to stimulate pro-
duction. Little opposition is expected
Discussion today, in criticism of many
features Of the legislation and mostly by
senators who expect to vote for, the con-
ferees draft apparently resulted in con-
viction among the opponents that further
discussion would accomplish nothing.
WADSWORTH SPEAKS
The principal speech of the day was
made by Senator Wadsworth, who said
the good things in the bill outnumbered
the bad ones, but protested against elm
ination of the provision for congress
sonai committee to supervise war expen-
ditures and predicted that the 81 mini
mum wheat price fixing provisions might
not operate as it's proponents believe. He
urged cooperation between the iegisla-
tive branches of the government and a
greater degree of publicity of the con-
duct of the war.
The New York senator denounced the
delay in the enactment Of the first food
bill as breaking Of faith by the gov
eminent with the people.
Some power, some person or some in
fluence prevented the enactment of the
so-called food survey BILL" he said. I'VE
are told that the delay was a piece OF
legislative strategy 1t may be piece OF
clever legislative strategy, but say that
in view of the promised word Of the gov
eminent it was breaking of good faith
with the people Of this country"
He added that the impression has gone
out that there was more insincerity back
of the food propaganda than patriotism
in order to let somebody in Washingt ON
accomplish an ambition.
CONGRESS IN DARK
Deploring what he termed the present
atmosphere OF criticism" that prevails
in Congress and throughout the country,
Senator Wadsworth declared it was due
to the fact that Congress is In the dark
regarding how the $4,000. d00, 900 or ST.
100000 are to be spent in connection
with the war.
Not only is Congress in the dark re-
garding the expenditure, but the public
is In the dark" he said. ut lis an impos-
sible condition under which to wage war.
This is the peoples war. 1t is not an
administration war. 1t Is not a govern
ment war. But it cannot be peoples
war unless the people are taken into con-
fidence regarding expenditures