The Washington herald., 1917-02-24
CAPITAL FACES CRISIS
IN FOOD-SUPPLY ISSUE:
MAY INDICT DEALERS
PLAN TO INDICT
FOOD BOOSTERS
Gregory Orders u. S. Probe
Of Prices-Nation
In Revolt.

|
The Federal tesrchlight was turned
from the shortage TO speculative manipu-
lation Of prices in the food crisis yester-
day
The Cabinet meeting revealed the fact
that Attorney General Gregory had in
structed district attorneys TO proceed at
once with grand jury investigations 10
lndict all guilty spectators.
/ Congress seethed with indignation over
the continued food rioting, and Senator
I Lewis introduced a bill which would
! permit the President TO seize all food
stocks whenever he had reason to believe
Z that they were In the grip Of monOpOlists
J or price boosters.
| Senator MARITIME demanded an embargo
on food expectations abroad, as a meas
ure OF alleviation.
! The Interstate Commerce Commission
and the Car Shortage Commission agreed
( in vindicatinE the railroads from the i'm
putation that the major guilt" was
theirs for the amazing situation that ex-
/ lists
I Wilson Considers Issue.
! President Wilson Is awaiting word
! from his advisers as to what drastic
| action" is proper under the conditions
j Chairman Denman Of the shipping
.
! tion authorizing the board 10 take over
ships building in the United States for
| foreign account.
/ II was learned last night that a definite
| statement OF the administrator views
on the food situation, with recommends
tions for relief will be forthcoming from
! the President within a day or two. In
| this statement the President expects to
| deal particularly with the transportation
question. 1t was stated that the depIe-
/ ton OF American coastwise shipping and
I shipping between the Atlantic and Pacific
I coasts had forced vast quantities OF pro-
ducts into transcontinental traffic and
added materially 20 the car shortage prob
1 lem
! The advisory committee Of the Council
I OF National Defense VIII meet here today
and there was a well-grounded feeling
that the committee win be confronted
with the food question. Julius Rosen-
waId. OF Chicago. chairman OF the com
mittee on supplies. including food and
d clothing. viii reach Washington today.
Matter Up TO RosenwsId.
/ At the committees onices it was
said that the entire question Of food
supply was in Rosenwsld's hands. and
that he would have TO initiate any
activity the committee might take in
the present situation. Il was pointed
out, however, that up TO now the com
mittee's activities have been confined
to wartime possibilities.
; Administration pressure for an sp-
preparation to fnsnce a Trade Com
mission Department OF Agriculture in
vcstigation OF food costs continued
Assistant Secretary OF Agriculture
Nrooman declared that war or no
war. 1t is imperative t.-=.i .he govera-
ment know the essential facts az TO
the food situation in the United
States" Vrooman blamed the food
shortage on transportation troubles
and wasteful marketing, and declared
Congress should at once provide for
the proposed investigation.
| How effective these steps win prove
was a matter of grave discussion here
last night. Many officials, particularly
members OF Congress, declared that
they were misdirected and would not
relieve the situation. They asserted
that only immediate and direct relief
to the hungry would effectively halt
the upward rush OF food prices and
remove the menace Of food rebellion
! in the great cities.
Must Feed Them.
The only way TO relieve hunger 30 TO
/ feed" they declared.
Senator Lewis Of Illinois administs a.
| ton whip Of the Sc ate, proposed an
| amendment TO the pending revenue bill
which would empower the President 20
| seize all food stocks, whenever he de-
( ternined that food was being held or
monopolized to increase prices. The
| amendment would authorize the Presi-
\ dent to announce his determination by
| procla tion, and would then authorizs
district attorneys 10 seize the food and
4 dispose OF IL at public sale Ito those
whose necessities are first to be relieved"
| The government would pay a ''rea sonsble
| h., Z.
stated that the Lewis proposal was in
| no sense an administration measure.
| Progressive Republicans, including Sen
ators Borah La Toilette. Kenyon and
Morris, discussed the food situation at
| length. They believe that drastic action
| 10 feed the needy should be taken by
the government at once, and IL was
stated that only the tangled legislative
! situation in the Senate prevented an ef-
| fort by this group to force through a re-
| lief measure. They are inclined 10 pro-
pose an immediate appropriation OF y2S.-
10000 or $1,000 600 TO be disbursed BY the
Quartermaster's Department Of the Army
in securing food to be sold at low prices
10 the thousands In want in the large
cities. II was stated last night that ac-
! ton along this line would soon result IN
general downward movement OF fopR
| prices.
Would Forbid Exports.
Another embargo proposal was put for
ward today by Senator MARITIME OF New
Jersey, who introduced bill TO prohibit
the export of food products
People are rioting for bread IN New
York." said Senator MARITIME. I'VE are
shipping great quantities OF food across
the water while our people stsrve. Should
Congress stand blind TO thessurerins Of
our fellow citizens, An embargo on
staple food products win lower prices
In the House Representative Lind
, bergh introduced resolution requiring
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO.