The Washington herald., 1917-06-15
Senator Reed Attacks Pro-
posed Food Dictator.
Says Tyranny Would Ex-
eel that Of George Ill.

Senator Reed. OF Missouri, started
a determined attack yesterday upon
Herbert c. Hoover, the probable food
dictator. Reed said the President
wished to vest Hoover with such
power as neither Caesar nor Kaiser
ever had.
This man Hoover was a mining
his fortune" said Reed. 1t is pro-
posed to give him such power as
should not be given in a republic OF
II speak Of Hoover as an individ-
uel because I wish to impress upon
the Senate thatsno such power should
be given to q man of flesh and blood.
from this country aud I wish TO
make the point that he does not
know its needs as would a man who
had remained at home. want to
burn it into the brain and conscience
OF the people that such power as is
proposed TO give TO him is extraor-
dinaTy."
Reeds fierce attack was criusIsed
by Senators Kenyon and Sheppard,
but Some other Senators sat by and
seemed to enjoy it immensely.
George the Third never attempt
ed to license his subjects as does
this bill" cried Reed. We will all
DespotIc Powers.
The bill he spoke of is the one now
introduced in the House allowing the
President to appoint Hoover to the
contemplated position. In discussing
the bill, Reed said:
The bill falsely declares that hun
dreds OF things are affected with a
public Interest. whereas a most casual
reading of the measure will show that
this is not true. They have not other
relations to the public interest except
that the life and happiness Of every
man, woman, and child in the republic
and every dollars worth of property
affect the public interest. II is an
impudentiy false and fraudulent recital
The bill provides that the President
is authorized to enter into an agree
ment with any person or agency to
carry out the powers indicated. The
somewhat obscure language Is plainly
intended to authorize the transfer of
great and despotic powers TO in
dividuals whose names may not even
be submitted to the Senate orsto the
public at large.
In one section the remarkable
power of furnishing ANY person who
allows his necessities to deteriorate is
extended to Mr.. Hoover and others,
for they are agencies There is given
to these gentlemen the power to COM
pei any person producing or import
ing or manufacturing or storing these
necessities to take out a license.
Under this the President can compel
every manufacturer in the country
and every dealer and shipper to secure
from Mr.. Hoover or some other
unnamed gentleman license to trans
act his business
the remark that necessities as set
forth in the bill meant fuel and the
articles included for manufacture.
But Senator Reed insisted that the
bill was all-reaching in its power.
Anything Animals Eat.
1T embraces anything animals eat
anything produced upon an American
farm, every animal that walks and
is fit for food, and 1t covers all the cat
tie upon the thousand hills, the sheer
in the 1000 pastures. the hogs in
the million pens, the chickens in the
myriad of backwards. the hay, the
rye, barley. 1t covers all that. And
1t goes below the surface OF the earth
and includes coal and oil and gas
And 1t covers every tree that grows
and is fit for fuel.
1t covers the manufacture Of steel
and iron and Of agricultural imple'
ments. It includes the cotton gin
and cotton mill. 1t includes the sheer
and the wool and the processes Of
manufacture. 1t includes the pack
ing plants. It includes the butcher
shops. It could be made to take In
every railroad, for it includes al
transportation facilities.
1T includes the right to say what
the people shall eat and to regulate
the bill Of fare OF every home in the
United States"