The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-08
bLACKMON TALKS
 ID HOME PEOPLE
 ABOUT FOOD BILL
Thinks Cotton Has Been Finally Eliminated-Tells of Various Delays and
 Their Causes

Anniston, July s.-(Special.)-'T do not | think they will be able to include cotton in the food bill," said Representative Fred L. Blackmon, on the eve of his return to Washington, after brief va cation spent in Anniston.
 MT. Blackmon discussed at length the various provisions of the food bill and it's progress, or lack of progress, through Congress. He attributed the delays to which the bill has been subjected, to the various amendments that have been tackled on to it. While not taking sides, either .for O. against the liquor amend ment or the civil service provision, he made 1t plain that these provisions had resulted in so much talk in the Senate ! that the bill had been unnecessarily de- ! layed.
 He said that the fool bill as agreed l upon by the House committee and pre- sented to the House only provided for the control. by the government, of food stuffs and fuels. In the House draft bill the producers were protected by being exempt from the provisions of the bill as long as the produce was in the hands of the producers. This draft also pro- vided that the President, in his discre- | tion, might suspend the manufacture or | sale of spirituous or malt liquors during | the war.
 It was right here that overzealous pro- | hibitionists in the House started some of | the delay, according to Congressman | Blackmon. They were not willing to I leave this question to the discretion of tho President and insisted on amending l the bill so as to provide for nation wide prohibition
 l Then the over-zealous friends of the civil service league amended the bill so
 as to place all employees, who would be | called on to aid in carrying out the pro- visions of the bill, in civil service. | we, If course, realized" said Mr. Blackmon, that to hold civil service ex-
 aminations for these employees would de-
 lay the efficient application of the bill | for i've or six months. Argument on 1 this point added to the delay. Adding, | by amendment, the nationwide prohibi- | tion, has delayed the bill in the Senate, which has also added amendments plac- l ing cotton and other commodities in the | bill.'
 MT. MBlackmon expressed regret that | tho bill could not have passed the Sem
 ate in the form 1t passed the House. T | do not believe such an important bill as this should be loaded down with prohi- bition legislation. civil service reform and woman suffrage. I believe each of
 these measures should stand or fall on l their own merits" Feeling that the food bill will be returned to the lower House,
 Mir. Blackmon Is hurrying back to the
 capital to vote against the inclusion of l the cotton provision.
 l ANNISTON RED CROSS GROWS
 Starting out with the intention of or ganizing a chapter of 300 members, the Anniston Red Cross unit has already ex- ceeded that number in membership by
 POO. and is still growing, according to | Mrs William A. J. Kopp, who has just | returned from Montgomery, where she went with Miss Anne Kilby, who recently returned from the Chevy Chase training camp to do Red Cross work at her home 1 town, which has been selected by the government for a military training camp | this summer.
 F Mrs. Kopp and Miss Kilby are much pleased over the result of their visit, and hope to open quarters this week in | the federal building to accommodate the women's auxiliary, which will do sewing
 for the men In the army here and abroad. l W. H. Weatherly, president of the First
 National bank, Is chairman of the local 1 Red Cross chapter. the other officers be- | ing: Rev Carlton Barnwell, vice chair
 man; Frank Leigh, treasurer; Mrs. E. c. Polk, secretary. Executive commit
 tee. w. E. Mitchell, chairman: Mrs. w. 1 A. J. Kopp, Mrs. S. P. Kennedy, Mrs | A. J. Goodwin, Mel P. Sterne, O. M. | Alexander and F. l.. Rivers
 STACKER HELD FOR JURY
 Percy Evans. a negro, aged 25, Satur- day admitted to United States Commis-
 sioner l.. B. Lilies that he did not regis
 ter on general military registration day, June 5. He was bound over in the sum 1 of 5000 to await the action of the fed eral grand jury.
 Evans was arrested on July by Dep | uty Marshal R. B. Blake who has made
 several arrests of slackers since July 1. The other cases are now on the commits | sioner's docket and will be tried at an
 early date.
 Parker Succeeds Pershing
 in SOutherEf Department 1 San Antonio, July 7.--Brig. Gen. James
 Parker has been designated commander of the southern army by the war de
 pertinent.