River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-07-26
Washington Letter
(By James A. Frear, NJ. Co.

During the last week the House
held only baief sessions on Wednes-
day and Saturday for the transac-
ton Of routine business while the
Senate continued discussion of the
food control bill which has held the
attention Of that body for nearly
five weeks. AS stated in previous
letters the bill is one of far reach
ing Importance in the conduct OF the
present war to a successful conclu-
sion and great care must be exercls-
ed in such legislation. As the bill
passed the Senate on Saturday, it
contained practically the provisions
recommended by the President and
included in the original House bill,
lie. Government control Of foodstutfs
and fuel only, including kerosene and
gasoline. Efforts were made to Sc
cure the adoption of amendments to
include Federal supervision Of iron
and steel, cotton, wool, copper, and
other materials and their products,
but such amendments were voted
down. In practically all other re-
spects it passed the Senate as pre-
dicted and will be threshed out in
conference between the two Houses
so as to become law without further
debate.
Following the passage Of the food
bill the Senate will take up the $64O,
100000 appropriation bill recently
passed by the House without dis
senting vote for the creation of
great air fleet. In the House dis
cussion was restricted and few if
any of the details Of the intentions
of the Government were disclosed.
It was the first instance in American
history where such n enormous
single item of expenditure was pro-
posed without disclosing in debate
all the aims and objects for which
the appropriation was intended.
Full statements were made to the
Committee behind closed doors, but
in order to avoid possible informa-
ton of value reaching an enemy
country, the Committees statement
was generally accepted h a t the
money was needed for the national
defense. The President and his ad
visors say the bill is more vital to
military success on the European
Western front than any other one
thing this country can do.
While opposition exists to its pro-
vision for drafting men into the
aerial service, there is a general dis
position to reach final vote in the
Senate today if possible. Following
the aviation bill, the Senate will
take up the Revenue tax bill which
passed the House over month ago.
The Revenue Bill will be debated in
the Senate for several weeks and
some important amendments will be
made to the House measure before
it becomes law. Predictions of an
adjournment early in August have
gone glimmering and September 1st
may find Congress still in session.
In a Committee Room in the Sen
ate Office Building, last Friday, with
movie" men and press correspond
ents on hand, members of the Mill
tary Committees of both Houses, to-
gether with military officials, begun
the drawing of 10000 numbered
slips contained in small capsules, all
of which had been placed in high
widemouthed bowl. From this re-
ceptacle the fortunes of ten million
men between the ages of Fl and 80
inclusive, registered f or military
service in the United States, were
determined. Out of the total mum.
Der of registrants, 1,374,OOO will be
called, from which number 687. 900
will be selected for immediate mill
tary training and service whenever
needed. Provost Marshall General
Crowder and his assistants devised a
system of draft based upon chance,
where every precaution was taken
to prevent favoritisn or manipula-
ton in the drawing of numbers. The
ten million numbers were segregat-
ed into 4,557 groups corresponding
with the 1857 registration districts
throughout the country. The larg-