Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-28
PROHIBITION FIGHT
WILL DELAY ACTION
ON FOOD MEASURE
Possibility of Filibuster in
Senate Is Being Con-
sidered.
LEGISLATION ASSUMES
MORE DRASTIC FORM
Agricultural Committee Redrafts
Many of Principal Features
of House Bill.
MORE POWER FOR GOVERNMENT
New Bone Dry" Provision Would
stop Manufacture OF Intoxicating
Beverages During War.

fBy Associated PressJ
WASHINGTON. June 27.-Eood con-
troll legislation assumed new and more
drastic form to-day. when the Senate
Agricultural Committee virtually re-
drafted many OF the principal featurcs
or the House measure, and reported il
with material extensions OF govern
ment power. and a now hone dry
prohibition provision to stop manu-
facture OF intoxicating beverages dur
ing the war. The President would be
authorized to permit wine making.
and to commander existing distilled
spirits.
The amended bill was presented to
the Senate by Senator Chamberlain
He will move tomorrow to have il
substituted for the draft the Senate
has been debating, and proceed with
all expedition toward final action
The new prohibition plan, all leaders
admitted tonight greatly complexities
the situation. and precludes enactment
OF the legislation by July J.
In extending the scope Of the legis-
lation and the Presidents powers. the
committee adopted amendments which
would provide for government control.
In addition to food. feeds and fuel
OF Iron. steel. copper lead and thei'
products. lumber and timber, petro-
leum and its products. farm implements
and machinery. fertilizers and binding
twine materials
Other important amendments ap-
proved would authorize the govern
ment to take over and operate fac
tories. packing houses. oil wells and
mines. regulating wages OF their en-
ployees. and to commander supplies
OF any and every kind when needed
for the army and navy "or any other
public use connected with the public
Defense"
FOOD, FEED AND FUEL
FOR CIVILIAN PURPOSES
Another would empower the govern
ment TO buy and sell. for general
civilian purposes. food. feeds and fuel.
with Limitation upon the general leg
islation making il apply TO agencies
and products only in interstate or for
eign commerce.
The amendments are declared by
Senators who have been opposing, as
well as those supporting the legisla-
tion. to improve the bill and remove
almost all opposition except upon pro-
hibition.
The prohibition section WAS written
into the bill by vote of TO I. The
committee rejected. to I. its sub
committees recommendation that the
PRESIDENT be given authority to per-
nit continuance of manufacture Of
malt and fermented beverages
While the committee was revising
the House or Lever measure, Senate
debate on the original Chamberlain
draft was suspended. Senator Cham
berlain sought to begin debate late
to-day on the rcdraft. but upon OBJ
lection by Senator Penrose and under
the Senate rules, discussion was post
poned until Tomorrow
The possibility OF a fiiibuster be-
cause OF the drastic prohibition pro-
posal is being considered. Senate
leaders agree that the prohibition fight
probably will be long. and one of
the most strenuous in the Senate's his
tory. with alignment extremely close
on the, question OF stopping manufac-
ture OF beer.
In rewriting and extending the bill,
the committee adopted a new amend
meat aimed to prevent government en-
ployees or officers from selling their
own materials to the government. 1t
declares 1t to be unlaw wful for any
person. acting either a voluntary or
paid agent or employee of the govern
ment in any capacity, including an
advisory capacity to any commission,
board or council, to attempt to pro-
cure or make any contract for the pur-
chase OF any supplies for the use Of
the government, either from himself,
from any firm from which he is a
member, or corporation of which he
is an officer or stockholder, or in
which he has any financial interest"
under penalties OF $4,000 fine and
Ave years imprisonment.
PROPOSED BLANKET POWER
For GOVERNMENT REQUISITIoN
The proposed blanket power for
government requisition provides:
THE President is authorized to
requisition foods, feeds. fuels and other
food supplies necessary TO the army.
or the maintenance of the navy. or any
other public use connected with the
common defense"
Under this. the committee proposes
to give the government power to take
at just price any supplies needed
for military purposes or, broadly, for
; the public defense needs.
The provision for communicating of
factries. packing houses, oil wells and
other plants for military or public de-
fense purposes also would authorize
their operation. The committee added
an amendment providing that. in
regulating wages of employees of
plants Communicated. in case of dis
+ pute, the Federal wage rates shall be
/ settled by arbitration through the
Board of Mediation and Cancellation.
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