Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
FOOD LAWS
EFFECT
TOMORROW
President Will Sign Meas
ure Passed By Senate
Yesterday, Establishing
Government Supervision
Over Many Necessities.

HOOVER WILL HAVE
PLENARY POWERS
Washington, D. c., Aug. 9.-A1i is in
readiness for putting the administra-
tion's food control and food survey
bills into effect as soon as they become
law with President Wilson's signature.
The president will sign the bills tomor-
row after the presiding officers OF the
senate and house afflx their signatures
to the measures. This could not be
done today because neither house was
in session.
Final congressional action came late
yesterday when the senate In rapid
succession approved the conference
reports on both bills. They already
had been approved by the house.
SEVEN SENATORS VOTE NO.
The conference report of the food
control bill was adopted BY a vote Of
| 66 to Z and that on the survey bill by
a unanimous vote. Those opposing the
control bin were Senators Hardwick.
Hollis and Reed, democrats and Sena-
tors France, Gronna, LaFollette and
Penrose, republicans.
The first step in putting the new
legislation Into operation probably will
be the appointment by the president OF
Herbert G. Hoover as food administra-
tor.
THIRTY DAYS LEEWAY.
Thirty days after it Is approved 1t
will be unlawful to use foodstuffs In
the manufacture Of distilled beverages
or to import distilled spirits for bever-
age purposes: and the president will
be empowered to commander for mil.
itary purposes distilled liquors now
held in bond and to regulate or re-
strict the use of foods in the manufac.
ture Of wine and beer.
The final vote In the senate was
secured BY unanimous, agreement to
dispose of the bill today. AFTER four
days OF discussion Of the conference
report.
TWO OTHERS OPPOSED.
In addition to the seven senators
voting against the bill, Senator Gore.
chairman of the senate agriculture
committee, and Senator Sherman, re-
publican. were paired and did not
vote. Both announced that. had they
been at liberty to vote, they would
have been registered in the negative.
OF the absent and paired senators
announcement was made In behalf OF
nearly all that they favored the final
draft
WHAT BILL DOES.
The food control bill establishes,
during the war, broad government con-
troll over foods, feeds. fuel, fuel oils.
natural gas, fertilizer and its ingredi.
ents, tools, utensils and equipment re-
auired for the actual production of all
such products, designated ''neces-
saries"
In establishing government control,
the bill authorizes the president to en-
ter into any voluntary arrangements,
create or use any agency or agencies,
TO accept services of any person with
out compensation, to cooperate with
any agency or person. to utilize any de-
partment or agency OF the government
and to coordinate their activities.
HOOVER FOR CONTROLLER.
In pursuance Of such authorization,
President Wilson plans to appoint Her
bert G. Hoover food administrator.
Control of other necessarfes named
may be accomplished through other
agencies. The house provision for an
individual food administrator was en-
acted only after the president had pre-
vailed upon the senate and house con-
ferees to eliminate a senate amend
ment, inserted by two overwhelming
votes Of 63 to 10 and so to %, propos-
ing board OF food Of three subject
10 senate confirmation.
Comprehensive powers are given in
the bill. passed as war measure, to
assure adequate supply and equitable
distribution Of the named necessaries,
to facilitate their movement; to pre-
vent, locally and generally, scarcity,
monopoly boarding, injurious specula-
tion, manipulation or private control
affecting supply, distribution and
movement.
WHEAT MINIMUM g.
Other provisions of the bill fix min
imum price for wheat beginning next
year at not less than 81 per standard
bushel provide for coal and coke price
fixing. communicating and govern
ment operation Of factories and mines
producing necessaries; for government
purchase, sale and requisition Of vari-
Gus necessaries, and for federal licens-
ing OF agencies producing and handl.
ing them.
The bill appropriates for fund Of
$50, ,000, 900 to be used in Its admins
fration and $10,000,O00 for federal pur-
chase and sale at cost of fertilizer.
The prohibition provisions. a COM
promise for bone dry" prohibition pro-
posed by the house, prohibit manufac-
ture and Importation of distilled
liquors for beverages during the war.
authorize the president to suspend
manufacture Of malt, fermented and
vinous liquors or to limit their alco-
holic content and "aufhnrizeS and