River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-03-01
FOOD SITUATION
IS MAIN TOPIC
The Reed Amendment Prohibiting Liz
uor Ads. in Dry States Is
Passed BY House
WISCONSIN MEN PROMINENT
Congressman J. A. FreaF's Weekly
Letter from Washington.


ress this week.. and although the
legislative branch Of Government
cannot administer law, it is serious
" proposed to place power In the
hands Of the President, OF some
other agency. to set prices on GER
tain articles of food. No one need
be told that prices are sailing high
and the pocket book of every man
advises him as to the altitude they
have reached. Every interest from
the producer to the cold storage
man, and t h la S middle man,
pleads mot guilty, but whether or
not a conspiracy to take advantage
of war conditions is at the bottom of
the trouble vigorous effort will be
made to puncture balloon prices.
Further Investigations are not need
ed to learn the situation and feel
ing is rife in Congress that the Sen
ator Lewis amendment, to fix prices,
or some such similar measure, may
help to solve the problem.
BY an overwhelming vote, the
House passed Senator Reeds amend
ment to the Post Office Bill which
provides that liquor advertisements
cannot be circulated in prohibition
states, and also makes those states
what is termed bone dry. Since
European nations engaged in war
set the example, the dry movement
has rapidly gone forward. Educa-
ton, industrial employment, and 9TH
er agencies, have contributed to a.
result which is independent of any
political party. Many states have
Joined t h e prohibition procession
which is now running neck and neck
with the suffrage movement, and
those who have failed to note the
fact, are visibly impressed with the
vote on the Reed amendment. That
vote may be an accurate Indication
of sentiment in the House because
the pronounced "wets" and "drys"
so-called, are found on both sides OF
the question, but the vote is an
evidence of the growth of senti-
ment from four ears O.,
when the Webb-Kenyon Act was
closely contested in both branches.
The Supreme Court has determined
the validity of that Act and it is not
doubted that the Reed amendment,
if legally tested, will also stand fire.
Speculation in regard to political
control in the next House is on edge
when it is understood that Demo-
Gratis and Republicans each have 215
Members, with fl We independents
who will decide the result. When
such close figuring is INDUCED In,
the result cannot be determined un-
til next session. If it should be a
Republican House, Mann of Illinois
is being considered in the lead for
Speaker, and Lenroot for floor lead
er, which is the most responsible po-
sition under present rules in the
House. Lenroot is fine parliament
tartan and a hard worker, which
peculiarly fits him for the high hon
or. If Republican House, Cooper
of Wisconsin with p years member
shin. and one of the oldest Republi-
cans in the House, will be Chairman
of the important Foreign Relations
Committee. Esch of Wisconsin, with
Is years service, will be Chairman of
the large Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee Cary, of Wis.
consin, with ten years service will be
Chairman of the District Committee
which is a hard worked body. Mel
son with the same length of service
will be near the top of the powerful
judiciary Committee. Stafford with
II years, is also near the head of the
equally important Appropriations
Committee, while Browne and the
writer have good Committee assign
ments. Long service has given South
ern members every important COM
mittee craftsmanship under Demo-
cratic rule, with one exception, but
under Republican rule, Wisconsin
will be among the first of the states
in relative Importance and because