Middletown transcript., 1917-05-12
FOR FULL CONTROL
OF FOOD SUPPLY
Bill in Congress Provides For
Regulation BY President.
PROMPT ACTION EXPECTED
Power Sought To Regulate Exchanges
and Transportation and Prohibit
Use Of Grain In Making
Liquor.

Washlngton.-Absol authority to
! regulate in its discretion the produc-
ton. distribution and prices of food
and other necessities during the war
was asked Of Congress by the admins
tration.
In a sweeping bill introduced with
administration approval by Chairman
Lever, OF the House Agriculture Com
mittee 1t Is proposed to empower the
President, under the war clause OF the
Constitution, to take these measures
whenever, in his opinion, the national
emergency shall require:
To fix maximum and minimum
prices for food, clothing. fuel and
other necessities and the articles re-
quired for their production;
To prescribe regulations to govern
the production of these commodities
and, If necessary, to reQuisitlon the
producing factories, mines or other
establishments;
To compel holders OF necessities to
release them in amounts tnsurlng
equitable distribution;
To regulate exchanges in such
way as to eliminate market manipula-
ton;
To compel railroads to give prefer
ence to the movement of necessities;
To levy such import duties as he
finds necessary to prevent excessive
dumping" OF foreign products; and
To impose limitations or prohibi-
tons upon the use of grain in the
manufacture of liquor.
May Order War Bread.
In addition, the Secretary of Agri-
culture would be empowered to es-
tablish standard food grades; to H.
cense and control the manufacture,
storage and distribution of foods; to
prescribe the percentage of -four to
be milled from wheat, and to regu-
late the mixing of wheat -four with
other -four In the making of bread and
other food.
In a statement Mr.. Lever declared
there was nothing in the measure to
disturb legitimate business activities
because "it is hoped that the mere
conferring Of the more extreme new
powers will be sufficient without 1T
becoming necessary to exercise
them" 1t is known officials of the
executive branches Of the government
hold the same view, believing that
with such effective weapons in their
possession they will encounter no diff
fculty in lining up on the side Of the
public interest without legal action all
private agencies.
The bill is supplemental to the ad-
food measure introduced |
in the House last week. providing for |
a survey of the country's food re-
sources and comforting certain powers
to prevent food speculation. This
was ordered favorably report
ed from the Agricultural Committee
after the committee had reduced the
carried from $25 900, 900
to approximately $20,O0o,OO0 and had
a section authorizing tie
Secretary of Agriculture to order the
sale of any food in such
condition that unless promptly dis
posed Of will become unfit for use.
The section will be incorporated in a
coming third measure which is to con-
fer broad powers on the Council of
National Defense.
1.-THE purposes Of the bill are to
stimulate production, to reduce waste,
to clear the channels Of distribution,
to prevent boarding, to assure fair
prices, to eliminate injurious specula-
ton, to prohibit evil practices on ex-
changes and to protect the public
against extortion. The suggested leg
slation recognizes that the war will
disturb the normal courses Of trade.
it provides machinery.
irst for stimulating production and
regulating distribution so as to assure
. fair profit to those entitled to It;
for preventing the exploita-
ion of necessaries of life by those
who aim to take advantage Of the war
to amass unearned for
unes."