Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-05-11
ASKS FULL POWER
ADMINISTRATION SEEKS ABSO-
Lutte AUTHORITY TO GOVERN
FOOD SITUATION,

Absolute authority to regulate the
production, distribution and prices
of food and other necessities during
the war was asked of congress this
week by the administration.
In sweeping bill, introduced with
administration approval by Chairman
Lever of the house agricultural com
mittee. it is proposed to empower the
president, under the war clause Of
the constitution, to take the follow
ing measures whenever, in his opin-
ion. the national emergency shall re-
quire:
Maximum and Minimum Prices.
1. To fix maximum and minimum
prices for food, clothing, fuel and
other necessities and the articles re-
quired for their production, minimum
prices to guarantee fair and just re-
turns to the producers.
2. To prescribe regulations to
govern the production of these COM
modities and, II necessary. to requisi-
ton the producing factories, mines or
other establishments.
3. To compel holders Of necessi-
ties to release them in amounts in
suring equitable distribution.
To Break Speculation.
4. To regulate exchanges in such
a way as to eliminate market manip-
ulation.
8. To compel railroads to give
preference to the movement of neces-
stiles.
6. To levy such importation du-
ties as he finds necessary to prevent
excessive dumping of foreign
products.
z. To impose limitations or pro-
hibitions upon the use Of grain In
the manufacture of liquor.
In addition. the secretary of agri-
culture would be empowered to es-
tablish standard food grades. to
license and control the manufacture.
storage and distribution of foods, to
prescribe the percentage Of -four to
be milled from wheat. and to regu-
late the mixing of wheat flour with
other -four in the making of bread
and other food.
Supplements Other. Bills.
The bill is supplemental to the ad-
ministration food measure introduced
in the house last week providing for
. survey Of the country's food re-
sources and comforting certain powers
to prevent food speculation.
1.-THE new BILL" said Chairman
Lever in an explanatory statement.
IDEALS with all the necessaries of life.
including foods, feeds. shoes. cloth
ing, fuel and articles required for
their production. The measure Is in
tended only to meet the present emer-
gency. 1t is limited to the period Of
the war and sufficient time there
after for readjustment. It Is based
on the war clauses of the constitution
and is applicable throughout the
country. irrespective Of state lines.
''The purposes are to stimulate pro-
duction, to reduce waste, to clear the
channels of distribution, to prevent
hoarding. to assure fair prices. to
eliminate injurious speculation, to
prohibit evil practices on exchanges,
and to protect the public against ex-
tortion.
Aims at Get Rich Quick.
"The suggested legislation recog-
nizes that the war will disturb the
normal courses of trade. According
ly, it provides machinery, first for
stimulating production and regulat-
ing distribution so as to assure a fair
profit to those entitled to it; second
ly, for preventing the exploitation of
necessaries of life by those who aim
to take advantage of the war emer-
gency to amass unearned fortunes
With these objects in view the bill
vests wide authority in the govern
ment to control the situation.
"Powcr is granted to compel hold
ers to disgorge and put on the mar
ket necessaries held by them in excess
of amounts reasonably needed to sup
ply their legitimate individual or
business requirements for a reason
able time. The president may regu-
late exchanges. including their prac-
tices, quotations and the like, so as
to avoid their employment as instru-
mentalities to effect unjust market
manipulations, injurious speculation
and undue enhancement of prices.
Minimum Price to Producers.
"The president is empowered to