The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-04
DRASTIC BILL
 GIVES WILSON
 FOOD CONTROL
Seven Radical Provisions In Measure Introduced
 In House

food and other necessities ouflHS LIS war was asked of Congress yesterday by .the Administration.
 In a sweeping bill, intro oduced with Administration approval by Chairman A. F. Lewis Democrat, South Caro- lina) of the House Agriculture Com. mittee, it is proposed to empower the President, under the war clause of the to take these measures whenever in his opinion the national emergency shall require
 To fix maximum and minimum prices for food, clothing, fuel and other necessities, and the articles re- quired for their production.
 To prescribe regulations to govern the production of these commodities and, if necessary, to requisitlon the producing factories, mines or other establishments.
 To compel holders of necessities to release them in amounts insuring equitable distribution.
 To regulate exchanges in such way as to eliminate market n1anipu- lation.
 To compel railroads to give pref- erence to tke movement of necessities.
 To levy such importation duties as he finds necessary to prevent excess sive dumping of foreign products.
 To impose limitations or prohibi- tions upon the use of grain in the manufacture of liquor.
 In addition the Secretary of Agri- culture would be empowered to es- taIblisn standard food grades, to li- cense and control the manufacture. storage and distribution of foods, to prescribe the percentage of flour to be milled from wheat and to regulate the mixing of wheat four with other flour in the making of bread and other food.
 In a statement last night MT. Lever declared there was nothing in the measure to disturb legitimate business activities because 'it is hoped that the mere conferring of the more ex- treme new powers will be sufficient without it's becoming necessary to exercise them''
 It is known that officials of the ex- ecutive branches of the government hold the same view, believing that with such effective weapons in their flculty in lining up on the side of the public interest without legal action all recalcitrant private agencies.
 The bill is supplemental to the ad- minfstration food measure introduced in the House earlier in the week pro- yidfng for a survey of the country's food resources and conferring certain powers to prevent food speculation
 This measure was ordered favorably reported from the Agricultural com- nittee yesterday after the committee had reduced the appropriation carried from s25, ,000, 900 to approximately s20, : 00o,o00 and had eliminated section authorizing the secretary of agricul- fA ny~dn Mo Jssk -A -c any food in such condition that un- less promptly disposed of 1t will be- come unfit for use. The section will be incorporated in a coming third measure which is to confer broad powers on the Council of National De- fence.
 MT. Lever. expects to get both of the bills up for action in the House next week. The first alreay is pending in the Senate and the supplemented measure probably will be presented there today.
 The new bill." said MT. Lever in his statement Ideals with all the necessaries of life. including foods, feeds, shoes, clothing, fuel and articles required for their production. The measure is intended only to meet the present emergency. It is limited to the period of the war and sufficient time thereafter for readjustment It Is based on the war clauses of the Constitution and is applicable through out 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 alin1in1fa mi lrin prohibit evil practices on exchanges and to protect the public against ex- | tortion.
 | The suggested legislation recog- | nizes that the war will disturb the normal courses of trade. Accordingly 1t provides machinery first for stfmu- iating production and regulating dis tributlon so as to assure a fair profit to those entitled to it; secondly, for preventing the exploitation of neces- l sar1es or life by those who aimfto take advantage of the war emergency to 1 amass unearned fortunes With these objects in view the bill vests wide au- thority in the government to control l the situation
 "It is hoped that the mere con. ferring of the more extreme new DOW. CTS will be sufficient without it's be- coming necessary to exercise them There is nothing in the measure tc disturb legitimate business activities If 1t hereafter appears essential to ex.
 ercise the new powers provision is
 made for prescribing the linn. tations
 of the conduct of these activities with Isuch certainty that those affected should experience little difficulty in meeting the requirements On the
 other hand, heavy penalties are pro. vided for those unwilling to fall ir line
 'The President is empowered to eff I feet preference movements by common carriers in order to assure an adequate and continuous supply of necessaries He may also prescribe limitations. reg
 ulations or prohibitions upon the us,
 of foodstuffs in the production of alec hol and of alcoholic or non-a1coholit
 beverages and may require reduction
 of the alcoholic content of beverages
 "Factories, plants, mines or othe, establishments engaged in producing necessaries may be requisitioned ant operated by the government if it b,
 essential. Just compensation for thei
 use Is provided. The government i further authorized to purchase, pro
 duce or otherwise to procure neces I and to sell fher,o of ,oSt