Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-23
CAN CONTROL PRICES
AND PREVENT BOARDING
Bill Prohibits Injurious Speculation in
Nscessaries Of Life and Gives Power
to Regulate or Prohibit Operation Of
Stock or Grain Exchanses--Waste is
Made Unlawful.

| anu res uldte the prices VI iooa oA'
other necessaries of life was introduced
in the house by Representative Lever
chairman of the committee on agn-
culture.
Immediately Herbert c.. Hoover,
| whom President Wilson appointed food
| administrator issued the following
statement on the proposed legislation:
Mr.. Levers food administration bill
| as now reported out of committee COW
ers ably and intelligently the powers
! necessary for the president to possess
| in order to set up competent 1000
| administration. These powers, COM
| bined with the power of embargo pro-
posed in other legislation, should make
it possible to eliminate boarding, spec
ulation. and waste in distribution.
They are more moderate than those
possessed by the various Europea
food ministries, but. with the good will
and cooperation Of the distributing
trades, should make success possible
without in any manner being burden
some upon legitimate trade"
Bestows Vast Powers.
The chief provisions of the bill are:
l. Prohibits the boarding or cor
nering of the necessaries of life.
- Prohibits injurious speculation in
the necessaries of life and gives the
pTssiii,Gn: power 70 regulate or prohibit
the operation of stock or grain eX-
changes.
8. Gives the president power to fix
maximum and minimum prices on nee
essaries Of life in certain instances.
4. Gives the president power TO pre-
Vent use Of grain or food in the manu-
facture of liquor a. his discretion.
). Gives the president power 20 con-
troll all distribution agencies by means
OF licensing.
.. Gives the president power 10 fix
food and grain standards.
I. Gives the president power TO pur-
chase store, and dispose of necessaries
OF life in order to break "corne;s and
otherwise regulate supply and prices.
s. Provides for the taking over by
the government Of factories. mines. or
plants the owners Of which do not
comply with the presidents orders.
Q. Gives the president power to per-
NIT the mixing Of corn and wheat -four
and to establish percentage of -four to
be obtained from wheat.
10. Provides that the president may
delegate any or all of the powers con-
ferred on him by the bill TO any per-
son he may designate.
Based on War Emergency.
The bill declares the existence Of
war emergency which would give con-
gress power under the constitution to
IL essential to the national security and
Defense. for the successful prosecution
Of the war and for the support and
maintenance Of the army and navy, to
secure an adequate supply and eqnita-
Bile distribution of foods, feeds, shoes.
clothing, fuel and other necessaries OF
!ife' says the preamble.
"hoardins" Defined.
AS a definition of boarding the >bM
provides that articles may he deemed
to have been boarded when either
ta) held. contracted for, or arranged
for by any person in a quantity in
excess of his reasonable requirements
for use or consumption by himself and
dependents for a reasonable time: CD
held, contracted for, >or arranged for
by any manufacturer, wholesaler. re-
taller, or other dealer in quantity In
excess of the a-sonGble requirements
OF his business for use or sale by him
for a reasonable time, or Co withheld.
whether by possession or under any
contract or arrangement, from the
market by any person for the purpSse
OF increas sing or diminishing the price,
The accumulation of necessaries by
any farmer or gardener would not be
deemed boarding under the bill.
Waste 10 Unlawful.
1t Is declared unlawful ito commit
or permit preventable waste or detert-
grafton of any necessaries In or in con-
nection with their manufacture or dis
tr!bution: to hoard any necessarie@; to
monopolize or attempt to .monopoliza
| either locally or generally. Any neces-
| saries; to engage in any discriminatory
and unfair, or any deceptive practice
or device in handling or dealing in or
| with any necessaries; to enter into any
contract, arrangement or conspiracy
to restrict the supply. or to restrict
distribution, or to enhance the prices
Of any neceesaries, or to exact excess
i've prices for any necessaries; or to
aid or abet the doing Of any act made
unlawful by this section"
| Foods Standardized.
The president would be authorized
TO promulgate standards for the grad
Ing and classification Of foods to pre-
vent deception in regard to them. Per-
sons who ignore the standards pre-
scrAbed by the president would be pun
ishable by q fine Of $1,000 or by i'm
prisonment for not more than one year