Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-14
SPECTATORS IN
FOOD ARE HIT BY
NEW AMENDMENT
Price Raisers Called pirates"
and Robbers in u. S.
Senate
L A ALK OF HANGINGS
Favor Grows For Prohibition
During Term of the
War
I AK OF HANGINGS
BY associated Press

Washington, May 14.-Another vote
was imminent in the Senate to-day
on the amendment to the espionage
bill to forbid the use of grain for
liquor during the war, but even op-
ponents of the provision hardly hop
ed to defeat it. The Senate adopted
the amendment Saturday night in
committee of the whole, and was ex-
pected to-day to take up the entire
bill and pass it. Since the newspaper
censorship provision was voted out of
the Senate bill the fight over this
question probably will be thrown into
conference, where administration
pressure may be brought to bear for
its reinstatement.
StiII Want Censor
Senator Overman, in charge of the
administration espionage bill, an
nounced to-day an effort would be
made to restore the press censorship
section to the measure before pass
age.
When the Senate resumed consid-.
GRAFTON of the espionage bill to-day
Senator Thomas, of Colorado, present.
ed his amendment proposing to sus-
pend during the war; all boards of
trade, stock exchanges and chambers
of commerce which permit future"
speculation in foodstuffs.
Pirates" and robbers" were terms
applied by Senators to food specu-
lators during Senate debate to-day
on proposals to abolish future trad
ing in food. Lamp-post hangings as
remedy were again referred to.
Public Demands Action
Senator Thomas said he had re-
ceived scores of demands from the
general public that gambling in
necessities of life druing the war be
stopped by Congress. He cited the
recent soaring of May and July
wheat futures in the Chicago mar
ket to show the need of immediate
action by Congress to stop food
gambling"
Opposing the amendment Senator
Overman, of North Carolina, in
charge of the bill, pleaded against
loading down" the espionage meas
ure with Irrelevant" amendments.
Although he said, the Thomas
amendment appealed to him in many
respects it should be considered
later with the food control bill re-
ported by the agriculture commit
tee.
A similar plea was made by Sena-
tor Lewis, of Illinois, who said,
however, some provision like this
must be made, eventually for the
benefit of the country"
Chance For Censorship
The section was stricken from the
bill Saturday by vote of 39 to 3S.
Senator Overman said to-day Ma
jority Leader Martin who voted then
10 strike out, would vote to restore a
censorship provision. He did not
know whether there would be other
Senators in the same position.
One other Democrat who voted to
strike out the section was said to-
day to be ready to follow the ma
iority leader but Republicans oppos-
ing the censorship declared that two
of that party who had voted against
striking out were now prepared to
vote against censorship.
Another defeat for the provision,
however, will only defer the ad-
ministration fight for it until the
different bills passed by the two
houses get to conference which sits
behind closed doors and where pres
sure undoubtedly will be brought to
bear to put the section in.