The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-19

Administration supporters privately ex- pressed fear tonight of Senate flibus- ter They are prepared if necessary to invoke, for the first time, the Senate's new anti-flibuster rules.
 In an effort to allay Senate opposition it was arranged today to have an informal conference tomorrow between senators and Herbert c. Hoover.
 RADICAL STEP DEMANDED
 In the initial discussion of the bill ad- ministration spokesmen urged that mo- bilization of Americas food power in the war demanded radical steps and vesting of new and wide powers in the President. The opposition protested that dictator ship and interference with business and individual rights were proposed and questioned the constitutionality of the legislation.
 Both houses made the measure their pending business with the purpose of keeping it continuously under discussion until disposed of. The House held the first of a series of night sessions to ex- pedite the debate and night sessions may be resorted to later in the Senate.
 Sena tor Chamberlain of Oregon, chosen to have charge of the bill i'll the Senate, urged it as 8 war necessity, declaring governmental control of food as essen tlal as men and munitions Senator Shep- pard of Texas, democrat, and Senator Kenyon of Iowa. republican, also spoke in behalf of the bill.
 LEVER EMPHATIC
 In the House Chairman Lever of the House agriculture committee also em- phasized the necessity of the legislation He said the President could be trusted with the powers proposed and that they would be invoked against "crooks" and not against legitimate business interests Opposition in the Senate was voiced by Senators Gore, chairman of the agri- culture committee, Reed and Vardaman, democrats, and Galinger, republican. In the House opposition was led by Rep- resentative Haugen of Iowa, republican, and Young of Texas. democrat. Both declared the legislation is unnecessary and unwise and aimed almost solely at the rural producers.
 Opposition senators complained over alleged delay of the House in passing the. first administration food bill, designed to stimulate production and also prevent hoarding and speculation. They said the production bill and the Sherman anti trust laws would be ample to cope with speculators.
 DISCUSSION TO MINIMUM ~ Advocates of the bill in the Senate planned to hold their discussion hereafter to minimum to expedite tke measure and with view to invoking the anti filibuster rule if necessary without being charged with having used a dispropor- tionate share of the time.
 Senator Chamberlain told the Senate he had been informed that there had been an increase of more than 50 per cent in the price of certain staple articles.
 II don't know if anybody knows the cause for this increase" he said. But one thing in the countries where there has been tendency for the food prices to increase, legislation along the lines of this bill has tended to hold prices down. The purpose of this bill is to vest some where regulation of the food prices.
 Senator Reed asked if bread lines ir. New York had not been instlgated by German agents.
 T don't like to say replied the Ore gon senator, but I think that agents of some foreign countries have been at work in an effort to limit the hand of this government
 Senator Stone said the waste of food in hotels and elsewhere by individuals should be stopped. He said juicy steaks" were but partially eaten and the rest thrown away, while women and chil- dren were half starving in the cities.
 There is enough food wasted that way to feed these people" he declared. It is a wicked waste and somebody ought to be authorized to prevent it.'