New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-15
Senator Reed
Decries Food Bill
AS Dictatorial
Says 1t Confers Powers
Greater than Any King
Would Dare to Use
Gompers Supports 1t
Asks All Labor Unions to
Help Create Sentiment
for Its Passage
Gompers Supports 1t


debate on the Administration food
bill in the Senate to-day Senator Reed
of Missouri went even further in de-
nunciation of it than he had done in
previous speeches. The proposed pow
ers. he said, were greater than any
king, potentate or emperor ever dared
TO exercise.
Agents of the government, he said,
would be empowered to direct mothers
what to feed their babies and what
they should wear, and dictate TO farmers
what they should raise, and to business
men what their profits should be.
The attack by Senator Reed had been
expected. Administration leaders say
that the opinion Of the junior Senator
from Missouri does not reflect very
large element of the Senate.
The speaker declared he did not i'm
pugn the honesty or the integrity OF
Herbert c. Hoover. who is to be Food
Administrator when the measure be-
comes law. He continued:
"But do say that his suggestions
for the practical dictation by the Fed
eral government of the entire food CON
sumption of the nation, how, when Nnd
where it shall be husbanded, how it
shall be distributed and in what guam
titles il shall be doled out for consump-
ton, is as lacking in humanitarisnism
as il is in needfulness.
II would like the Senate to con-
slider the powers this bill contemplates
in the governmental control Of neces-
sites. The bill recites that its power
shall extend TO and include all proc
esses, methods, activities of and the
promotion, manufacture, procurement,
storage, distribution, sale, marketing,
pledging, financing and-now note this
language consumption Of necessities.
Il provides that all such necessaries,
processes, methods and activities are
hereby declared to be affected with the
public interest Yes, in order to afford
some shadow of pretence of the exer-
else of constitutional power, the bill
falsely declares that all Of these things
are affected with a public interest.
"And yet the most casual reading OF
the language will chow that the things
to be affected are not affected with the
public interest within the legal meaning
of that term at all, and have no otner
relation TO the public interest, save that
the life and happiness OF every man.
woman and child in the Republic and
every dollars worth of property affect
the public interest. II is an impudently
false and fraudulent recital.
"The bill provides that TO carry out
these powers the President is author
in. p
ment or arrangement, to use any
agency and TO accept the services of
any person without compensation, 70 CO.
operate with any agent or person, and
SO forth. In n word, this somewhat OBJ
scure language is plainly intended to
authorize the transfer Of these great
and despotic powers to individuals
whose names may not even be submit
ted 10 the Senate or the public at
large"
Organized labor was called upon for
mally by the American Federation Of
Labor 70 get behind the campaign for
enactment of the Administration legis-
lation by July /. All unions were urged
in letter by President Gompers TO
press their Congressman for prompt
action.
Mr.. Gompers said:
After July / the new crops will be
moving to the markets, food specula-
tors will have cornered crops, prices
will be forced up and the people VIII
feel actual want.
"Snce the war wages have not kept
pace with the increasing cost OF living.
They have remained practically sta
tionary. while prices have more tnan
doubled. The only practical way to IN
crease the spending incomes OF all is to
decrease the cost of living.
"A grave danger confronts the Amer
lean people, the danger Of hunger,
which unless our government takes I'M
mediate and effective action TO prevent
will portend greater injury than the
threat of the foreign foe.
Blames Food Spectators
abnormal conditions exist-the or
binary checks Of competition have dis
appeared Food spectators are gam
bling on the peoples necessities. We
must devise new machinery TO meet
tremendous, vital needs. We will have
70 establish economic agencies TO con-
troll food, so that the people may. be
insured subsistence. The problem
strikes at the very roots of life.
"This is a problem that has a strong
appeal to the whole nation. Legislation
cannot be accomplished without per-
sistent, intelligently directed efforts
of all
"The proposed legislation does not