Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-03
FOOD CONTROL BILL
AGAIN THREATENED
Measure as Amended Puts
Most of Nations Business
Under U. S. Supervision.
MAY END IN DEFEAT

| The food control bill is threatened
from a new angle today. Amendments
adopted yesterday by the Senate. plac-
ing cotton and cotton products. wool.
hides and skins under government con-
troll, have aroused the senators to the
fact that what originated as a measure
to permit government control during
the war of foodstuffs has developed into.
la measure that will practically place
the entire business of the country
under government supervision.
In the bill reported to the Senate
by the committee on agriculture there
were included in the list Of articles over
which the government should have su-
pervision and control, in addition to
foods and feeds, containers thereof, fuel,
including petroleum and its products,
steel and iron and their products. cop
sisal and their products. lead, timber,
! number, farm implements and ma
chinery and fertilizers.
Bill Held Top-Heavy.
THE bill has become top-heavy, it
the country If II is enacted in it's pres
emit FORM" said one of the democratic
leaders of the Senate today. Il for one
would never vote for the bill in its
present form. Undoubtedly, If many OF
these articles over which control is pro-
posed are not stricken from the meas
ure. it cannot pass or at least it can
not come to vote for long time"
1 Friends of the measure insisted today
1 that it's opponents had succeeded in
placing so many amendments in it that
| it may in the end defeat it entirely. I'M
less some steps are taken to correct 1t.
| The prohibition amendments today
| still continued to be a thorn in the side
4 n
seemed to prevail that there would be
votes enough to give the President
| what he wants in regard to the ques-
ton of beer and wine.
| Seeks Set Time to Vote.
When the Senate met Senator Cham
berlain again sought unanimous con-
! sent agreement to set time to vote on
| the bill and all amendments. naming
! July as the day.
! To this Senator Penrose Immediately
objected. saying that SO far only the
| first section of the measure had been
| foted upon; that many important
amendments were pending. and he did
not think any attempt should be made
| to cut off debate at this time.
! II do not think that there should be
any attempt to apply the steam roller
at this time" he said.
| Senator Chamberlain denied that hi
had any desire to apply the steam
roller, but said that for two weeks
the bill has been discussed in the Sen
| ate and he thought it about time to
| get to an end of the debate.
1 I hope that the friends of temper
I ance will not be accused of objecting
! to fixing a time to vote on this BILL
j was the sarcastic intersection of Sena-
tor Jones of Washington.
| Petition for Cloture Rule.
A petition to call into use the new
cloture rule of the Senate to wind up
the debate and force vote on the bill
was signed by twenty-one senators last
night Senator Chamberlain is holding
this in reserve today, and unless there
is some evidence that debate will wind
up before long he will offer the petit
ton. If for no other reason. than to put
on record the senator's Who are OBJ
| structing a vote on the bill 1t requires
ia two-thirds majority to adopt the
cloture rule.
| At present. it was said, there seems
little hope that the necessary majority
can be obtained. The senators insist
| that the bill shall be amended so as to
eliminate many of the articles now
placed under government control, and
the vets" insist upon a definite under
standing that no attempt shall be made
to prohibit the manufacture Of beer and
wine.
Skirmish Over Prohibition.
Il fast and furious skirmish on prohi-
bition occurred for half hour just be-
fore the Senate recessed last night. The
"wets" and "drvs' clashed when Sena-
tor Penrose. opposing any attempt at
| cloture. suggested that prohibition
friends had been delaying action.
| Senator Jones of Washington vehe-
ment1y denied the charge and asserted
that the delay has been caused by pro-
| hibition opponents.
Senator Sheppard asked unanimou:
consent for a vote tomorrow on the lia
uor question, but Senator Penrose OBJ