Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1917-07-25
FOOD CONTROL BILL.
PASSED By SENA.T.E:
ADMINISTRATION MEASURE WILL
BE REWRITTEN THIS
WEEK.
TO WILSON IN TEN DAYS
Bill Gives President Broad Authority
Over Control of Foods, Feeds,
Fuels, ekrosene and Gasoline.

Washington. - The administration
food control bill, virtually written af.
ter five weeks bitter contest, was
passed by the Senate, eighty-one to
six. Conferees from House and Sen.
ate have begun work and leaders hope
the measure may be in the Presidents
hands in ten days.
AS revamped, the bill gives the
President broad authority over foods,
feeds and fuels, the latter, including
kerosene and gasoline, provides ad-
ministration by a food board of three
members instead Of an individual; au-
thorizes federal fixing of coal prices,
requisitiOning and operation of mines,
and authorizes a minimum guaranteed
price of not less than 81 per bushel
for wheat at primary markets. The
Senate prohibition sections, prohibit
ing manufacture of distilled beverages
during the war and directing the Pres
ident to buy all distilled spirits in
bond, was substituted for the House
bone dry provision and will be one
6ofJSNI VI AliLlNultS III IOlISlCuNS.
Senator's voting against the bill
were: France, Maryland; Hardwick,
Georgia; PeErose, Pennsylvania;
Reed, Missouri; Sherman, Illinois and
Sutherland, West Virginia.
Many Amendments.
Scores Of amendments were dis
posed OF, but the principal features
were the incorporation of the
amendment authorizing the minimum
wheat price, and another by Senator
Pomerene's greatly broadening the
governments power to handle the coal
situation. The governments guaran-
tee for wheat would be payable at all
principal interior primary markets IN
til July /, 1919. The Senate rejected,
As to 80. an amendment by Senator
Norris TO have the food board instead
OF Congress fix the minimum price.
The Pomerene coal amendment, in
of - to u, directs the President
through the federal trade commits
sion, or other agency, to fix coal
prices, wholesale and retail, regulate
the entire industry and, if necessary,
take over and operate coal mines and
fix prices of labor.
On a final vote. the Senate refused
so to %, 30 place the bills admins
tration in the hands of an individual.
Senators understood the administra-
49,, ,,->,II o-J1,1-o, 10 J,oro +Io oo,,
ferees substitute the original House
provision for a single administrator.
Appropriation in the House bill Of
$150.000, 900 was left unchanged by
the Senate. which added an ~apprOpria-
ton of SO 0N. 900 for federal pur-
chase and sale of soda nitrates for
fertilizer. Another important Senate
addition to the bill provides for a
Joint congressional committee to su.
pervise wal expenditures. 1t vas pro-
posed by Senator Owen.
To Prevent boarding.
The Senate also added provisions
against boarding of foodstuffs and for
regulation Of grain exchanges, author
fzinz the President to close them if
necessary to stop speculation in fu-
lures.
The bill limits government control
virtually to he original subjects of
the House measure. foods, feeds and
fuels.
In lieu Of the House bills broad
provisions for licensing food dealers.
The Senate bill limits federal licensing
to the following agencies and these
only which have products in interetate
cold storage and packing houses, farm
implement factories, coal producers
and dealers and wholesalers of des-
ignated necessities.
The House bills provisions for fed
eral requisitioning Of necessaries is
limited to the Senate redraft to food,
feeds and fuels and other supplies
for military purposes only. Govern
ment purchase and sale of f~oOdstuffs,
to maintain reasonable prices, also is
limited by the Senate bill to fuel,
wheat. -four, meal, beans and pota-
toes.
The House provision for authority
to requisition factories generally was
curtailed by the Senate to factories,
packing houses, mines and other
plants needed for military or other
public use connected with the common
defense.
Neither House or Senate draft pre-
sents the original administration pro-
posals for government control of
clothing and maximum price fixing.
e