Connecticut western news., 1917-06-21
FOOD CONTROL:
 BILL ATTACKED
s'h1te House Measure AsSdil0d
 In House and Senate.
WILSON TO FORGE PASSAGE
Hoover Appeals to Senators to Pass Measure if War Is to Be Won and People of America and Their Allies Are to Have Sufficient Food.

EfS IO nave 0SiiClSIL SON'
 Facing determined attacks in both branches and abandoned at the outset oy one of it's reputed supporters, the administration food control bill is on it's way through congress. In the house 1t was fiercely assailed. In the senate the unusual spectacle was presented Of tre chairman of the agricultural com ryittee announcing he could not con- scientiously support the measure. So anxious is the administration to pass the measure that Herbert C. i Hoover, presidential choice for food controller personally addressed sena- tors today at an informal meeting | In the house Lever of South Carolina, chairman of the agricultural committee and author of the measure, defended it. Young of Texas, a member of the con- mittee, led the attack against it. In the senate Gore of Oklahoma relin- auished care of the measure to- Cham berlain of Oregon. Hardwick of Georgia I criticised the constitutionality of the measure, terming it Gin sofne respects l the most dangerous bill ever presented | to the American people"
 When the debate began in the house Lever said:
 We intend to drive from the estab- Iished agencies of distribution the mar: ket manipulator, the food gambler, the Shylock of commerce who would rob the widow and orphan or filch pennies | from a blind man.
 NO honest business man need be hurt by the power conferred in the bill.'' said Mir. Lever. Tt is the crook that shall suffer in the sunlight, and it Is the unpatriotic. selfish and greedy. that we are after
 "I admit the bill is unprecedented and remarkable. But we are engaged 1 in an unprecedented and remarkable war that is shaking the foundations of | the world. We must either confer this so called autocratic power upon the constitutional head of our government or we. must be prepared to have this power assumed by the German kaiser" Texan Opposes Bill. Young of Texas said to the house:
 "Term this food administration if you wish, but an attempt is being made to establish food dictatorship in this country. A food dictator would take charge of the property of every 1 humble farmer in the land who is struggling to eke out an existence for himself and his family.
 ''The world faces food shortage as every farmer knows. It is idle to pre- | +ho+ ho fo, guidance to stimulate food production Every farmer sees in the present con- 1ition great opportunity. But you must let him alone; don't hamstring him.
 One of the bills supporters was An 1erson of Minnesota, who made three chief points, saying first, if the allies were cut off thirty days from American food supplies they must declare peace; and, second, that if the allies and neu- trals continued to have unimpeded re- course to American food supplies this country may Starve. His third point was that if abnormal conditions were not remedied there may be social dis
 1rbances within the country that would hinder participation in the con- Hict.
 Senator Hardwick gave notice that he would ask the senate to vote on a point of order, which he will raise against the bills constitutionality "at the appropriate time"
 "Dangerous," Says Hardwick.
 "fn some respects" said Senator Hardwick, ''this is the most novel, far reaching and the most dangerous meas ure ever presented to a free people. hope before the debate in this senate is ended the American people will have gained a very different impression of the measure than that which is being
 so assiduously circulated in the press. "
 T cannot support the bill," said Sen
 ator Gore, land I connot vote for it un- less it is materially amended, but I be-
 lieve that it should be in friendly hands
 and should have a chance for it's life on
 the senate floor"
 Senator Chamberlain took the floor to
 explain its provisions, saying:
 ITO win this war food is just as i'm.
 portant as munitions and men, just as
 necessary as battleships and any of
 the other implements of war. That
 there is a scarcity of food no man will question:. Because of this it behooves
 Us to do what other nations. have done : and that is to take control of it. With prices continually soaring skyward as
 they have been recently we must get at thenH so that they will remain at some figure where the people can reach , them.'
 MT. Hoover's activities are branching , out every day. Following up his an nouncement- that he will ask every wo man in the country to register as a
 member of the food administration
 sign a pledge and display the food ad
 ministration's insignia in her home, he started a campaign to educate the country up to realization of how seri ous is the necessity for saving every | of iTo Ind