The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-04-24
GOVERNMENT PLANS
FOB FIXING PRICES
Houston Outlines Needs OF Moment
in Meeting Pressing Food
Problem.

Washington, April 20.-The govern
ments programme for food control
during the war was put before con-
gress today by Senator Houston III
d communication to the senate ask
ing power for the department Of
agriculture to take direct supervision
OF food production and distribution
in the United States and requesting d
$25,O000GO appropriation for putting
the plan into operation.
.autnurl1y was asked for the coun-
Gil Of national defense in an emerg-
ency to buy and sell foodstuffs and
to fix maximum or minimum prices.
AS outlined to the senate the gov
ernment's plan is, first to make d
complete survey of the country's food
supply o determine its ownership
and distribution, then, if necessary,
to license and control the operations
of all concerns engaged in the manu-
facture of food or feed, agricultural
implements and all materials re-
quired for agricultural purposes. Au-
thority is sought for the agricultural
department to take over and operate
the concerns if it appears that course
is demanded by the public interest.
Would Cure at Once.
Giving the government power to
deal directly in foodstuffs probably
would make its application unneces-
sary, Secretary Houston declared, as
it's very existence would tend to keep
conditions normal. He proposed thai
the government should have full dis
cretion, saying it might be wise, if al
emergency arose, to fix prices on q
single commodity.
Market grades and classes for farm
products, Secretary Houston said, are
one Of the chief needs Of the coun-
try to insure proper conditions in
producing and marketing farm prod
ucts.
Authority also was asked for the
department to require of transports
ton companies preference for the
movement Of farm machinery, seeds,
fertilizers and materials that enter
into the processes Of food production.
Enlargement Of the market news
service Of the department was recon-
mended as means of insuring eqult-
able distribution to prevent undue
food shortage in any consuming cen
tre and to provide against waste due
to temporary overIupplies of food in
some communities. The department
wishes to allow the market service
division to assist in the routing Of
loodstuffs to relieve congestion on
transportation lines.
To Have Commissions Help.
In it's plan for an Investigation Of
the present food supply. the agricui-
tural department has arranged for
the help of the federal trade CON-
mission which, with the department.
was directed by President Wilson
early in the year to make an inquiry
to ascertain the amount of food
stocks and to determine if the anti
trust laws have been violated in food
production, storage and distribution.
That inquiry has been halted for lack
of an appropriation. The present
congress, however, has voted money
for conducting 1.-THE house the
S40O, 900 asked and the senate $780,
0OO
The two houses are expected to get
together on an amount to be apprO-
priated for this specific inquiry and
as soon as it is available the trade
commission will proceed. The COM
mission already is laying plans for
the inquiry and today called into con-
ference more than dozen senator's
and representatives for suggestions.
The concert of opinion, it was said
afterward was that the commission
should interpret the act creating 1t
in the most liberal fashion and should
get down to basic facts concerning
the handling of food resources.