Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-06-16
BIG BATTLE over
| CONTROL OF FOOD
/ BEGINS next WEEK
Senate Agricultural Commit
tee Reports It Without
Recommendation
SENATOR CHAMBERLAIN
WILL LEAD FIGHT FOR IT
Strong Opposition Wal Put
Up Hard Fight and Debate
1t for Days

Washington, June 16.-Responding to
the mandate of President Wilson, the
senate agriculture committee today rs-
ported out the Lever food control bill.
putting the initial fight on the meas
ure directly up to the senate.
The bill is sent out of committee with
out recommendation and will come up
for debate in the upper branch early
next week.
Tho big food fight is on in congress-
While the people Of this country and
/ the allied nations watched, the admin
listration food control measure, making
Herbert Hoover virtual food admins
-fator of the world was launched today
into one of the greatest struggles of tho
American congress.
The senate agriculture committee met
to report the bill without recommenda-
ton 80 that the senate might begin
work on it at once.
Senator Gore, chairman of the com
Imittee--unfriendl to the measufe-asIs
cd Senator Chamberlain to direct its
course in the upper branch. Chamber
lain win have democratic support ON
1.-THE measure in Senator Shepherd, Tex
las; johnson, South Dakota, and proh-
,ably some others. He win have sturdy
backing in republican Senators Kenyon
land Norris.
It's Fate in Doubt
| The fate of the bill is yet In doubt
lOpposition will be intensive.
! How intensive remains to be seen.
The president has chosen the sennte
as the field on which to fight the battle
Ito a decision. He determined not TO
await house action where the measure
lis practically certain to pass next week
i The senate finance committee has CON
sented to give the food bin the right
OF way at the presidents request. The
administration preferential routing bill.
Issill in the throes of debate, may he
lsidetracked, unless it can be passed to-
day.
5'Give us the legislative right of way
and we IL press this bin through the
senate, Senator Kenyon, strong re-
publican supporter of the measure said
today. "We have got the votes TO pass
lit. /"
Senator Gore, democratic opponent
of the bill said
/ 'tI want it to have a clear path for
action by the senate one way or the
other.
nThis is not bcleaguered country
Senator Wadsworth, New York, deelar-
ed
May Be Compromise Bill
"Such powers as these are rot in
the province of any one man TO admin
lister. -
Senator Wadsworth would support
and believes a majority OF the senate
would acquieseence to % control bill
(which provided the following, and
(which President Wilson is understood
Ito hold sufficient and satisfactory.
A common buying agency for all tho
Ialnes in order to prevent the eompeti-
tive bidding for food in our market
land thereby put an end to one big cause
for high prices; means of stopping the
boarding Of foodstuffs and other nee
iessaries Of life with authority to requi-
Isition plants when necessary TO curb
this process and authority to fix mini
mum prices and to simulate produe-
ltion.
Senator Gore and Senator HoSe
Smith, Georgia, held long conference
Hast night on the bill. Smith, who IS
Istrongly opposed to the measure will
he away next week, but said significant
lly:s
"There will be sufficiently long de-
bate that will have a chance to be
lin on it.