South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-29
HOUSE VOTES FOR
A FOOD SURVEY
First of Administration Con-
troll Measures Would Slim
ulate Production.

WASHINGTON, May 29.-The ad-
ministration's food survey bill. first
of the food control measures, was
passed by the house Monday with
out a record vote. II appropriates
$14. 10000 for an immediate inves-
tigation of the country's food re-
sources and for measures TO stimu-
late production. A similar bill is UNI
der debate in the senate and may
be passed there Wednesday.
Report i'm Three Weeks.
The agriculture department ex-
poets TO present a fairly accurate
estimate of food resources within
three weeks after the bill is signed
by the president, Sec'y Houston said
Monday. AS soon as the measure be-
comes a law the department will
start its 1900 employees. and the
$50. 900 voluntary crop reporters to
work on the investigation. The pre-
liminary report to be made within
three weeks will be supplemented
with monthly reports and probably
by a further complete report with
in six months IL necessary.
Material gathered will be turned
over to Herbert G. Hoover, who will
he named 10 head a food administra-
ton as soon as the pending regula-
tory food measure becomes law.
Wants Women to Help.
The survey bill passed virtually
as il came from the committee. Miss
Rankin, the woman representative
from Montana. inserted an amend
ment which would require the de-
partment of agriculture TO use wom-
en- in the survey work whenever
practicable. An amendment by Rep.
Mckenzie of Illinois would make all
persons employed under the bill
liable 10 military service, and an
other would permit citizens to refuse
10 go more than 500 miles from their
homes or places of business to testify
in a food inquiry.
AS originally drawn, the bill car
ried more than s1S.OOO.OOO but COM
mittee changes reduced the total.
These are the principal amounts APP
propriated:
For Seeds S5.77S,OOO.
For seeds. s5.77S.OOO: education
for increasing production by waste
elimination and conservation. So
34S.4OO: general survey. S2,522. 900;
eradication of livestock diseases and
livestock Improvement works. $685.
0O0: miscellaneous items, $547,500,
and eradication of plant diseases and
insects, $4,000.
Many republicans including for
mer Speaker Cannon repeatedly at
tackled the measure as wasteful par
ticularly as to the survey feature.
Chairman Lever OF the agriculture
committee. declared heatedly in clos
ing debate Monday they were rails
ing a false issue.
Not Worried by Economy.
1T is not economy that these gen
tlemen desire 10 propagate that ac-
counts for the opposition 10 the bill,
ne said. 1T may be that the Opposi-
ton can be accounted for because
we are carrying power in the bill
10 go into concerns and ind out who
is boarding and who is specializing.
The senate devoted the day to de-
batting and adopting an amendment
by Sen. Mcclellan reducing the APP
preparation for the eradication of
the cattle tick and other livestock
diseases from S2.OS3, 600 10 SS25, 900.
4 motion TO eliminate an approp-ia-
ton Of S2.5OO.OOO for seeds TO be
sold at cost 70 the farmer by the de"
partment OF agriculture and for the
teradication OF plant .Sia~Nses was
pending when the senate adjourned