Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-20
GOVERNMENT MAY
TAKE SUPERVISION
OF THE FOOD SUPPLY
Department of Agriculture
Asks Authority of Con-
gress to License Operation
Of All Food and Liquor
Establishments.

Washington, April 20.-The depart
ment Of agriculture today asked au-
thority of congress which, II granted,
will practically place the country's en-
tire food production under strictest
government supervision.
In addition to q preliminary nation
wide investigation in food markets, the
department asked authority to license
and supervise operations Of all plants,
mills, packing h ses, canneries,
slaughter houses, breweries, distilleries,
storage houses, all other establish
ments or factories in which food or
feeds. agricultural implements and ma
chinery and materials thereof, ferti-
lizers. insecticides, fungicides, serums,
toxins, viruses and any other articles
required for agricultural purposes, are
prepared, manufactured or kept for
sale or distribution.
STATEMENT BY HOUSTON.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston,
speaking today in regard to war time
preparations, said: "The time of spe-
cial stress will be during the harvest
season and every step should be taken
by state and federal agencies and or
ganizations to furnish relief when it IL
needed.
In case Of extreme emergency, the
government would have power to pur-
chase, store and subsequently dispose
Of food products to groups of people or
communities organized in some form
and AK maximum or minimum prices.
fa All "a g. bA
lodged in the Council of National De-
fense to be used only when directed by
the president
Houston also recommended authori-
zation for the appointment of one land
possibly two" more assistants to the
secretary.
REDUCTION IN LIQUOR.
Discussing the general question Of
food conservation, Secretary Houston
limited at the advisability Of possible
regulation or prohibition OF the manu-
facture Of liquors, saying: Some Eu-
ropean nations have secured q consid-
erable addition to the food supply by
reducing production of malt liquors or
by reducing or prohibiting production
of distilled liquors. It has been rough
ly estimated that the value Of food
materials entering into the manufac-
ture Of alcoholic beverages in this
country in one year, on the basis Of
prices lower than those now paid, is
approximately $145, 5000, ,000."
The power asked with regard to in
dustries connected with the food mar
ket would include authority to make
rules and regulations governing use
and operation Of such enterprises, In
cluding the taking over and operation
of them whenever such course may be
necessary in the public interest"
SWEEPING AUTHORITY.
This authorization requested is the
most sweeping of any asked in the his
tory Of this government. 1t is said to
be far more drastic than any power
asked even by European belligerents,
perhaps, Germany.
President Wilson and his cabinet to-
day planned to take up recommenda-
tions Of Secretary Houston for legis-
lation covering tho entire problem Of
food, It's conservation and distribution.
The prohibition question, officials now
realize, is too closely connected with
the food problem to be considered
alone.
In the south existing labor supply
can be more fully utilized through in
creased agricultural diversion.
AT present the south's agriculture is
based largely on the two-crop system
and corn. 1t has been ehti-
mated that in some sections, because
Of to exclusive reliance on the two-
crop system, the labor of man and
animals is utilized only 90 or 80 per
cent of the time.
ECONOMICALLY APPLIED.
III diversion were more generally
practiced this labor would be more ef-
and economically applied. It
s stated that there are more than
100000 boys between the ages Of Is
md 10 years in cities and towns not
low engaged in productive work vital
20 the nation In the present emerg-
'ncy. Many of these boys have had
40 contact with rural life and know
iothing about farming operations. |
rhis constitutes the most important
lnorganized and unutilixed labor re-