Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-06-21
FOOD DICTATOR
FOR WISCONSIN
Bill Passed by Senate Gives Com
plete Control to the Council
of Defense.
POWER TO SEIZE SUPPLIES
Measure Also Gives State Council Of
Defense Authority to Act in Case
of Shortage or Attempt to
Boost Prices.


MadisOn.-A bill has been passed by
the senate which practically empowers
a food dictatorship by the state coun-
Gil Of defense. The bill gives the coun-
Gil complete power to seize food and
fuel, storage houses and fuel depots,
In case Of a scarcity or an attempt by
spectators to boost prices.
An amendment by Senator Wilcox of
Eau Claire to strengthen the investi-
eating powers of the council along this
line was adopted. Administration
forces in the state senate were caught
mapping when Senator Wilcox, author
of the state aid armOry bill, moved TO
pass the bill over Governor Philips
veto. Before Senator Burke Of Green
Bay, the administration man, could
get his bearings the senate passed the
bill, II to 5. Passage of the bill re-
quired a twO-thfrds vote of those pres
ent, and with full attendance 1t stood
a good chance Of being killed. The bill
was messaged to the assembly.
Few New Buildings.
There will be little building done at
any of the state institutions during the
coming btennium. Usually from seven
to ten buildings are ordered, but the
appropriation measures just recon-
mended for passage in the Wisconsin
legislature disclose a policy of repair
ing the old buildings and only building
such new ones are are absolutely nee
essary. The reason given is the high
cost of building materials.
At the nine normal schools Of the
state a total of 1888, 220 will be spent
on land and building improvements
during the coming two years. 1t is
usually eight or ten times this amount.
A small gymnasium will be started at
the Superior normal; small power
plants will be erected at Whitewater
and Platteville, and-a $4,000 science
building will be erected at Stevens
Point. At River Falls and Whitewater
temporary barracks will be construct
ed for classrooms, which, when prices
go down, will be replaced with build
ings.
To Buy More Land.
The university has been given an
aggregate biennial appropriation of
$1S4500 for land and building i'm
provements. Of this sum $65,000 will
be used to purchase land near some of
the crowded university buildings. An
appropriation of $4,000 is made for q
wing to the university infrmary. The
remaining appropriations are for little
minor improvements.
To the charitable and penal instttu-
lions the sum of $347, 795 has been rec,
for building improvements. To the
Green Bay refOrmatOry $4,000 Is ap-
propriated for a new cell wing at the
public school at Sparta $4,000 will be
used in building a new schoOlhouse
$4,000 Is for the operation Of a scien-
tif1c laboratory In connection with the
state hospital for the insane at Men
dota $4,000 is to complete buildings
at the new home for the feeble-minded
at Union Grove and ST, $40 is for com,
pleting and furnishing the new indus
trial home for women at Taycheedah
There are q number Of minor sums fOr
repairs at other institutions.
Waiting on the Senate.
The assembly is marking time wait
ing for the senate to furnish it with
work. The so bills in the assembly
are Of little Importance and could be
disposed of In two or three hours with
full attendance. There are a mum
Der Of important bills in the senate
which will require considerable time
and may occupy much time in the
house once they have passed the sen
ate. It is generally estimated that
there is two weeks work before the
legislature, and as 1t takes several
days for the governor to examine al
Of the bills the final adjournment OF
the legislature may not come before
July 4.
At the commencement of work this
week the senate had before 1t 90 bills
of its own and Sc assembly bills
Among the senate bills are the work
mems compensation measure, thu
state board Of education, the direct
marketing bill, big drainage codifica
ton bill, and the measures for investi
CATION into social insurance There
are ten assembly joint resolutions II
the senate awaiting consideration
among which is one providing for 6
constitutional amendment to increase
the pay of members of the legislature
Appropriations Held Down.
That the appropriations Of this leg
islature have been kept down so that
no state tax will be necessary Is the
opinion of Senator Plat Whitman OF
Iowa county, chairman of the joint
committee on finance. Senator Whit
man says that the total appropriations
for the biennium are upwards of S28,
100000 but that the income Of the
state Is on the increase and anticipates
that no state tax will be necessary
For the past two years only a nominal
state tax Of $1,000 each year was
raised. Practically all Of the finance
bills have been reported.