The Washington herald., 1918-03-23
AYERS BILL TO
ALLOW WILSON
TO FIX PRICES
Sweeping Schedule Of Con.
troll Vested in President
if Measure Is Enacted.
FARMERS FAVOR BILL
Administration Support Is
Also Alleged Wilson May
Veto Gore Amendment.

A sweeping schedule of price-ffxing.
which is said to have the backing of
the administration. is outlined in q
Joint resolution introduced in the
House late yesterday afternoon by
Representative Ayres, OF Kansas.
II enacted, this resolution. which
amends the food control act of last
August. would vest the President with
authority to fix the price. not only OF
wheat, but also corn. oats. rye. barley
and rice. The President could also
control the distribution of and fix
prices of wearing apparel, hides.
leather, cotton, wool, meat. livestock.
utensils. implements. machinery and
equipment.
Scope Of Bill Wide.
In short II would vest in him au-
thority to fix anything ''of every
cay necessity" and to establish a
strict system Of licensing.
Rspresentative Ayres fuIthae
amends the original act to include
all retailers.
The original act provides that re-
tailers not engaged in a wholesale
business. whose gross sales do not
exceed $4,000 a year, shall be ex-
cluded, but Representative Ayres be-
lieves that drastic action should be
taken in this regard and has there
fore included the retailer in his
amending resolution.
Not only, it is believed, has this
bill the backing of the administra-
ton, but also the support of the mass
of Western farmers.
Indications were strong last night
that President Wilson would veto the
Gore amendment passed yesterday by
the Senate, raising the price of wheat
to $3.50 to the farmer, instead of $40
bushel at terminals. as recently set
by Presidential proclamation.
Friends of the administration ex-
press the belief that the President
may send a letter to the conference
committee that will result in buryinS
the measure where it now is.
Such a price as $50 to the farmer,
1t Is explained by Food Administra-
ton officials. would mean about S2.75
a bushel at terminals. This would
add about 500 to every barrel of -four.
for the consumers to pay.
Secretary of the Agriculture
Houston has called a conference of
leading farmers. planters and pro-
ducers. of the country. for March
2S, and there is little doubt but
that these representatives, one
from each State, will join in hearty
support for Representative Ayres'
measure.
Circumstances characterized as
lamentable have arisen through
the fixing of the price of wheat
alone. circumstances which. IL they
are permitted to continue. will ma
teriaHy hinder this country's win
the war" program and which this
bill, notwithstanding its seeming
drastic provisions. can alone rem
edy.
Profiteering on a small scale would
particularly be met locally by the
inclusion Of the retailers.
Representative Ayres believes that
the farmers are not so bent on in
creasing the fixed price on wheat as
they are on having all prices fixed
on an equitable basis, and he has
made this the paramount purpose of
his bill.
He also amends the original act in
regard to the s1-a-year men. He
makes this section such that the
President can engage persons either
with or without compensation" to
cooperate with any agency or per-
son engaged in carrying out the reg
ulations set. forth.
Meats and Leather Also.
In the two new sections introduced
by Representative Ayres in his joint
resolution. the President is given pow-
er to fix prices upon all meats, fresh,
cured and in the process of same, the
price to be based upon the cost of
production at a reasonable profit, in
ciuding fair profit to dealer, whole
saler and retailer. the same to be es-
tabhshed upon quality and grades
OF meat. as now accepted by those
engaged In the industry"
1t also give the President power
to fix prices of hides and by-products;
upon leather and all manufactured
products Of same; upon all goods man
ufactured from cotton and wool,
whether in wearing apparel, or other
wise: upon all machinery entering In
to the production and manufacture of
cotton. wool and all products manu-
factured therefrom, and upon all farm
and agriculture machinery that enters
into the production of all grain, cotton,
W0nl nd nfhor farm,