River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-06-21
Washington Letter
(Bys James A. Frear, M. CO


took up for consideration one of the
most vital questions affecting the
home life Of our people that has ever
been offered in any legislative body;
the food control bill. This same
week the Senate has also taken up a
food bill of identical terms and for a
week or ten days possibly longer
this important measure will occupy
the attention of both ends Of the
Capitol, simultaneously. Every house
wife in the land can be called as a
witness to the prevailing sky scrap
ing prices and while Secretary Of
Commerce Redfeld. according to a
reported interview, has stated that
whale meat is a good su bstitute and
can be eaten instead of beefsteak
without harm, it is also true that
giraffe soup bones would be useful
to stem the pangs Of hunger but
housewives will not find either sub
stitute for sale in the average mar
ket.
Reports to the Attorney Generals
department allege t h t potatoes
were sold by farmers at Amigo,
Wisconsin, on June 18th, for one dol
lar bushel, yet potatoes in the cit
les have been selling at from So to
81 bushel. The highest price rea-
lized by potato growers this season,
in that particular case, was S1.23 a
bushel, whereas $40 is a high sale
price reported in the cities. In the
same connection wheat, flour, meats
and canned goods Of all kinds. have
Joined the aviation movement so
that any proposal to meet the situa-
ton and reduce prices will be well
coined. That is thu pupose OF the
food control bill.
One paragraph is quoted to show
its wide scope: "There is hereby es-
tablished government control OF
necessaries which shall extend to
and include all processes, methods,
activities of and for the production,
manufacture, procurement, financ-
ing and consumption of necessaries
which shall be exercised and admin
stored by the President.
The bill covers many pages but
that paragraph indicates the pur-
pose and the powers conferred. Of
course the President ly acts
through agents so the power to con-
troll everything entering into pro-
duction must be given to some sub
ordinate, presumably Mr.. Hoover,
who has recently come from Eng
land to take charge of the work.
Protests against the enormous pow
er to be conferred have already been
voiced by leading democratic and
republican Senators and a few Mem
bers but these are war times when
ordinary rules Of business manage
ment may be set aside if conflicting
with public interest.
The notorious river and harbor
bill which has been before the House
for week or more and is being Wig
orously opposed by a number of
Members, has been set aside temper
arily for the food bill. Lenroot and
Stafford of the Wisconsin delegation
have been given splendid help and
have drawn the fire of the oppo-
sition which was formerly conferred
on the writer. In the discussion
Saturday during a heated debate
Lenroot said that if the supporters
of the bill tried to overrule the Chair,
which they eventually did, that the
understanding of the country would
be that whenever there is a piece of
pork in it they are willing to so vio-
late the rules of the House in order
to preserve their pork which they
are afraid might otherwise be lost.
When assaulted for this argument
Lenroot clinched the statement by
citing evidences of pork throughout
the bill. Last session the fight was
rather lonesome although a large
vote was polled against the bill but
last week many republican leaders
and several strong democratic Mem
bers went after the bill with telling
effect.
In the Official Bulletin" publish
ed by George Creel on the authority