Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-06-21
HOOVER APPEARS
BEFORE SENATORS
Outlines Plan for Conserving
Food and Beating the
Spectators.
CONTROL is NECESSARY.
Flour Spectators Have Taken @SO.OOO.-
600 Monthly from American Pub
lie in Last Five Months.

Washington. June 19.--while both
branches of Congress continued desul-
tory debate on the governments food
control bill to-day, Herbert c. Hoover,
food administrator, spent four hours
at the Capitol emphasizing to a score
of senators gathered informally to hear
him. the vital Importance of the legis-
lation to success in the war.
Under sharp and argumentative ques-
tioning by a group headed by Senators
Gore, Reed and Vardaman opposing the
Legislation, Mr.. Hoover outlined his
plans for conserving the nations food
supply, Increasing production and cut
ting off the excessive profits of specu-
lators. He did not conclude and will
| return to the Capitol Friday for fur
Their examination in an effort to clear
up congressional and public miscon-
ceptions and hasten action.
The Senate had only brief discus
sion of the bill and recessed until to-
morrow. Senator Chamberlain an
nounced 1t would be kept continuously
before the Senate until disposed of and
that senators would be pressed to ex-
pedite debate.
With but a handful of members attend
| ing, House debate continued until late
| tonight. Opposition there appeared to
general debate tomorrow. planning then
to consider amendments and pass the bill
| by Friday or Saturday
| Food conditions which face the allies
| and this country were frankly and fully
explained by Mr.. Hoover. Without gov
eminent food control. he said, success in
| the war may be mperiled Such control,
to great degree in actual administra-
ton, he explained, would be voluntary
and not enforced-a mobilization of the
| spirit of self -denial and self-sacrifice''
| in preventing waste of foodstuffs.
| That the rationing or other enforced
regulation of the American dinner table
is proposed was denied by Mr.. Hoover.
Also he said requisitioning of factories
| or regulations of wages are not contem-
| plated and that excision of war profits in
distribution of food. largely by voluntary
| cooperation of business interests in
volved, is the prime object of the bill
| Four basic measures of food control
planned, Mr.. Hoover said, are export
regulation. control of distribution. includ-
ing speculation, mobilization of America 8
women and men in campaign for
economy and against waste and participa-
| ton of the States in administration work.
| Federal commissions to control wheat.
sugar and a few other prime COM
storage. transportation and sale also are
contemplated, he said, but instead of in
1urying farmers as some have claimed.
| these things will benefit both producers
and consumers without curtailment of
middlemen's normal and fair profits.
Asserting that the allies food supply
will be forty per cent. deficient even with
Americas food surplus assisting. Mr..
Hoover said the deficiency must be made up
by sacrifice abroad and economy here.
Saving of six cents a day per capita In
this country. he declared, would save two
billion dollars. while twenty per cent
saving in flour would give 100000 900
bushels more to the allies.
In this connection, he told the senators
that spectators in -four alone have taken
$50, 900 month from the American pub
lie during the last five months
Senators Gore, Reed and Vardaman
piled Mr.. Hoover with questions in such
fashion that he told them with some EN-.
phasis that he had not asked Congress to
do anything. although he believed the pro-
posed legislation necessary to conduct OF
| war. The opposing senators commended
that the bill would reach into infinite ave.
nues of American life. disturb business
take property without compensation and
embark upon an enterprise of varied dan
gers.
Opposition dropped perceptibly in the
House as the debate dragged along to-day
and tonight Representative Haugen OF
Iowa, the only member of the agriculture
committee to file majority report
against the bill, said there would not be
SO negative votes on final passage. He
said he would vote for it himself. althougi,
he would make an effort to retsore to the
list of necessarles shoes and clothing as
originally proposed by the administration
Representative Graham Of Illinois
speaking in favor of the measure to-day
aroused interest by submitting a com.
parative list of American and British
prices on staples received by him from
| Ambassador SpringRice on last May 10
Some Of the English prices were lower
than the American prices despite the fact
as Mr.. Graham said that England is
| surrounded by submarines"
The prices follow; English beef, A cents
a pound; butter, 40 to Sc cents a pound
potatoes. $40 a bushel; bacon. 4S cents
a pound, and flour, $3.50 barrel.
The American prices on the same day
were Beef, AZ cents a pound; butter
42la cents pound; potatoes, 1915 a
bushel; bacon. As cents pound, and -four
$3.50 barrel.