Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-18
SENATE ACCEPTS
FOOD BILL CHANGE
Approves Amendment Relative
to Contracts Favored by
Defense Council.
NEW PROVISIONS FRAMED

By vote of 81 to II, the Senate to-
! day adopted the so-called Pomerene
amendment to the food control bill,
dealing with contracts made for the
government upon the advice of the
, members of the council of national
defense and it's subcommittee The
adoption of this amendment brings to
a close the strife which has arisen in
the Senate over the question of award
ing contracts for the government to firms
in which members of the advisory COM
mittee of the council are interested.
1t is understood to be satisfactory to
the members of the council of national
defense. 1t was substituted for the more
drastic committee amendment, which
! would have prohibited any contracts for
the government with firms of which the
members of the advisory committee are
officers, or in which they are interested.
Provisions of Amendment.
The Pomerene amendment prohibits
the members of the advisory committee
from soliciting or attempting to induce
any officer of the government to ex-
ecute a contract for the government in
a concern in which he is interested.
1t does not. however. prohibit the max
ing of a contract with such a firm.
1T also provides that no agent or
employe of any concern shall make or
permit any committee of which he is a
member to make any recommendations
concerning a contract for the govern
ment to the council or to the advisory
commission without making full and
complete disclosure in writing to the
council or commission OF every pc
cuniary interest which he may have in
the contract
Nor shall he participate in awarding
such a contract. Violations of any Of
the provisions of this section shall be
punished by a fine of not more than
900 or Imprisonment for not more
than five years or both.
Under the Pomerene amendment it
is contended the government will still
be able to avail itself of the advice and
services of the business men who have
voluntarily offered their aid in this
be cut off from doing business with
the firms In which those men are inter
ested.
Compromise Changes Worked Out.
After days of informal conference
and discussion. the democratic and re-
publican senators who have been try
bill which will make it salts
ing to frame amendments to the
factory to the Senate and insure it's
passage practically have completed
their work. They intend to offer the
amendments upon which they have
agreed separately. and not to offer
substitute for the bill
The first amendment agreed upon
limits the operation of the bill to foods.
feeds and fuel. including kerosene and
gasoline. thereby eliminating cotton,
wool, hides. steel and other articles
which had been inserted by the Senate.
The second amendment provides for
the establishment Of a board of food
administration. under the direct super
vision of the President. The language
creating this board is as follows:
Administration Board Provided.
such regulations and to issue such or
ders as he may deem advisable to carry
out the provisions of this act. He is
further authorized and directed to ap-
sent of the Senate. three commission
ers, at an annual salary of $500 each,
payable monthly, who shall constitute
board of food administration. and
ing out the purposes of this act as the
President shall direct. One OF said
commissioners shall be a farmer ac-
tually engaged at the time OF his APP
nointment in the cultivation Of the soil.
The President shall designate the
chairman of said board. The commits
sioners shall hold office at the pleasure
of the President during the continu-
ance OF the war.
This amendment does away with the
food administrator" or food dictator"
originally proposed and substitutes
board. However. 1t is not satisfactory
to some Of the senator's who have been
opposing Herbert c. Hoover the selec-
ton OF the President for food admin
istrator. They want the board COM
posed of at least five members. fearing
that with only three. IL Mr.. Hoover is
appointed chairman, he will complete
ly dominate the board.
Governs All Contracts.
The third amendment adopted by the
conferees deals with the council of ma
tional defense and its advisory COM
mittees in relation to contracts for the
government and Is the so-called Pom
creme amendment.
The fourth amendment deals with the
licensing section Of the bill It provides
for licensing Of elevators, cold storage
plants. packing houses. coal mines and fac.
| tories, limited to products and agencies
entering interstate commerce
The fifth amendment limits to fuel
wheat. -four. meal. beans and potatoes
the articles which the President is author
lied to purchase, store and sell at rea-
sonable prices in order to guarantee rea-
sonable prices.
The sixth amendment limits to wheat the
authority of the President to fx a mimi
mum price. In order to stimulate produc-
| ton, and provides that the minimum price
| Of wheat from the enactment of the law
| to January i, 1919, shall be Sl75 ner