The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-10
WH|SKEY CAUSES
CHAOS IN SENATE
FOOD CONTROL BILL is LOADED
DOWN WITH AMENDMENTS,
BLOCKING ITS PASSAGE.
.BURLESON MIXES IN
Walks Into Conference of Senator's, Sew.
eral of Whom Resent Appearance Of
Cabinet Member and Stride Out In
Huff.

Washington, July 10.-Increased dit.
ficulties today beset the administration
food control bill with its drastic prohibi.
ton features
2 Convinced that the bill Is loaded
down" and that the liquor provision for
government purchase of all distilled
spirits is unconstitutional, and either
must be amended or stricken out, SEN
ate leaders held conferences while the
debate proceeded on the floor in an ef
fort to devise amendments to pave the
way for final passage Of the bill.
To meet the constitutional objections
that his amendment Illegally imposes
upon distillers the price TO be paid Tor
their liquors Senator Smoot proposed
to all an amendment TO another sec
tion Of the bill. Another plan consid.
cred was to recommit the bill to the
agriculture committee with instructions
to correct the Smoot amendment and
also eliminate cotton, steel, iron and
possibly other products from the gov
ernment control proposed.
While the steering committee was in
session, Postmaster General Burleson,
often the presidents spokesman, walk
ed in and joined in the discussion. Sew
eral senator's soon left the meeting. one
Of them expressing resentment over the
cabinet officials participation.
Hope for agreement later on changes
which viii remove most Of the objec.
tions and secure a final vote by unan.
imous agreement without resort to the
pending cloture motion was expressed
by several leaders.
Effort to Modify.
In effort to modify the bill TO meet
various objections. the agriculture COM
mittee was called together. Chairman
Gore prepared amendments limiting
government control to foodstuffs and
fuel. eliminating iron. steel, copper, cot
/ ton and many othef products.
Lodge Fears Bill Dangerous
Senator Lodge. acting republican
leader in the senate. criticised the
sweeping scope of the bill as inimical
to business. lie regretted invoking the
cloture rule.
What troubles me in this bill" Mr..
Lodge said. els the attempt to set aside
economic laws. This bill undertakes
to give TO the president absolute control
OF all the business Of this country"
The senator spoke in commentator
Of Herbert c. Hoover's work in Bel
gium. but declared that the running OF
the business OF the United States was
M, o..,g,-.t,- afffarapt ,,,attar ond ssha
yond the power Of any one man."
Senators from wheat producing states
and the great centers Of wheat distribu
tion. the Massachusetts, senator de
clared. had told him that the mer,
threat of this bill had for the moment
destroyed the wheat market and dis
arranged the great machinery OF dis
tribution.
Would Hit Beet Sugar.
Il am told" he added. that a propo
sition has already been made to II,
the price OF sugar which would make Il
impossible for the beet sugar manufac
turers TO make any profit"
Senator Lodge opposed forcing cop
per producers to sell at abnormally low
prices.
When Senator Chamberlain suggest
ed that the bill does not direct, bu
merely authorizes the president to taxi
control OF various products. Senato
I Lodge said the mere possibility ha,
already greatly disturbed commerce. HI
declared congress would freely Civ,
any legislation needed TO cope will
| food qneculators