New-York tribune., 1918-03-13
Missouri Senator Opposes
Appropriation of More
Money Until Accounting
Attacks Price Fixing
Meatless Days Order Failed
10 Effect Saving, Senator
Wadsworth Declares

WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator
Reed, Of Missouri, Democrat, renewed
his attack on Food Administrator
Hoover in the Senate to- day. He de-
livercd three hour speech in which
he charged that never in the country's
history has there been such wasteful-
ness in the expenditure of money as
that of the food administration. He
demanded that complete accounting
be made before another dollar is ap-
psopriated for. it's use.
The speech was made in connection
with an amendment Introduced by Sen
ator Eecd, and later rejected, provid
ing for the elimination from the urgent
deficiency bill of an appropriation Of
$1,750,0 for the food and fuel ad-
ministrations.
Attacks Price Fixing Policy
Attacking what he termed the price
fixing policy of the food admnistra-
ton, Senator Reed said Mr. Hoover
solemnly assured the members of the
Agriculture Committee when it was
considering the control bill that price
fixing under its provisions would be
impossible. AS soon as the bill was
passed, he declared Mr.. Hoover, sur
rounded by his "Board of Trade sharps,"
picked out an obscure phrase author
lzlng voluntary agreements and pro
ceeded to conceive a plan for fixing
prices"
The business methods Of the food
administration were also criticised by
Senator Reed. who said he wanted to
know what had become of S12 ,000O 900
received as income from the grain
corporation and from other sources.
Since the administration was estab-
lished on August 10 last, he added,
$5,515, 900 has been appropriated, of
which reports show 81 ,985, ,429 has been
expended.
Growers at Mercy Of Packers
The Senator read telegram from
+. W. Kellogg, publisher of "The San
Francisco Call" which declared that the
growers Of the Western States are at
the mercy Of the California packers
corporation, from which Charles Bent
Icy, a member of Mr.. Hoover's staff, is
drawing an annual salary of $4,000.
"Now | can understand" Senator
Reed remarked, "why men work for 81
a year in those circumstances, and the
county 10 OcS lIllIlIlp 10 QHuSTS Jana IL.
Senator Underwood, Of Alabama, who
was in charge Of the bill, explained that
the money appropriated by the measure
was TO be used in extending the Food
Administrations WORK to the states, and
suggested that if the Senate was dissat-
istied with the food law it should re-
peal it.
Senator Townsend, Of Michigan, said
that III view of the numerous COM
plants that had been made against the
food and fuel admin; n!;trations he be-
lieved the committee should have in
CURED more thoroughly regarding the
worth, Of New York, said meatless days
had done great injury to the livestock
industry and had not resulted in a saw
ing Of meat
Accuses Food Agents
Charges that food administration
agents instructed packers concerning
prices they should pay for livestock
were made to-day before the Senate
Agriculture Committee by Edward F.
keefer, Of Chicago, a stock commission
merchant.
Z. Dana Durand, formerly chief of
the Census Bureau and now associated
with the food administration at Chi
cago as purchaser of meats for the
Allies. instructed J. L. Wilhelm. a rep.
resentative of the Cudahy interests. to
keep the prices down until q supply of
beer had been shipped to Great Brit
ain, keefer testified.
At meeting of stock raisers in Chi
cago last Friday, keefer said Durand
told the stock producers that the order
to keep the prices down was temnorarv
only and that it would be effective only
for about thirty DAVIS