The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-25
SUMTER, G.. WEDNESDAY, JULY a5- 1917.
FOOD CONTROL BILL,
MEASURE REWRITTEN IN UPPER
BRANCH, GOES TO JOINT
CONFERENCE.

Number of Changes May Prove Tn
acceptable to House i'm Present
FOrm-GOvcInmcnt Power Restrict
cd to Food, Feeds and Fuel i'm New
Draft.
Washington, July 21.-The admins
tration food control bill, virtually re-
written after five weeks bitter con-
test, was passed today by the senate,
81 to G. COnferees from house and
senate will begin work early next
week and leaders are hopeful the
measure may be in the president;
hands in ten days.
! AS revamped the bill gives the
president ~ad authority over foods,
feeds an Is, the latter including
Kerosene . gasoline: provides for
admins 8 by a food board OF
three srs instead of an individ-
ual; a " yes federal fixing of coal
| PiiCSo iSiIiolilnS anu operation Ol
mines s authorizes a minimum
guar; q | price of not less than 50
per " | for wheat at primary mar
kets s e senate prohibition sections
pro ) ng manufacture Of distilled
beverages during the war and direct
ing the president to buy all distilled
Cn irif in,
the house "bonc dry" provision ana
will be one subject of difficulty in
conference.
Senators voting against the bill
were: France, Maryland, Hardwick.
Georgia; Penrose, PENNSYLVANIA; ;
Reed. Missouri; Sherman, Illinois;
Sutherland, West Virginia.
Scores of amendments were dis
posed of today but the principal fea-
lures were the incorporation of the
amendment authorizing the minimum
wheat price and another by Senator
Pomerene greatly broadening the gov
lernments power to handle the coal
situation. The government guarantees
for wheat will be payable at all prin-
cipal interior primary markets until
j 5ssly Wy ls 2 ls The senate g rejected, %
I Ito S3, an anendment by Senator Nor
ris to have the food board instead OF
congress fix the minimum price.
The Pomerene coal amendment, in
corporated by a vote Of 70 to IL, di-
rects the president through the fed
eral trade commission or other
agency to fix coal prices. wholesale
and retail, regulate the entire industry
and, If necessary, take over and oper-
ate coal mines and fix prices of labor.
On a final vote the senate refused.
90 to 23, to place the bills admins
tration in the hands of an individual.
Senator Underwood said the admins
tration would endeavor to substitute
the original house provision for a
single administrator This will be an
other source of conference trouble.
Appropriation IN the bill Of s10,-
100000. was left unchanged by the
senate, which added an appropriations
Of $10,000,000, however. for federal
purchase and sale OF soda nitrates for
fertilizer.
Another important senate addition
to the bill provides for a Joint con-
gressional committee to supervise war
expenditures.
The senate also added provision.
against boarding of foodstuffs and
for regulation Of grain exchanges. au
thorizng the president ito close them
If necessary to stop speculation in fu
lures.
Although leaders succeeded in Sc
curing adoption of all their compro-
mise amendments, the small group of
senators who have persistently fought
the bill tonight claimed share of
success. Chairman Gore of the ag-
riculture committee withdrew his
proposed substitute bill saying five of
its seven principal provisions had beeY
finally adopted in the measure before
the senate.
The bill limits government control
virtually to original subjects of tho
house m"asure-foods, feeds and
fuels.
In lieu of the house bills broad
provisions for licensing food dealers
the senate bill limits federal licensing
to the following agencies and these
only which have products in inter-
state or foreign commerce:
Wheat elevators cold storage and
packing houses. farm implements, fac
tories, coal producers and dealers and
wholesalers Of designated neccssaries
The house bills provision for fed