The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-04-04
PASSING THE BUCK
TO THE PRESIDENT
In the Opinion of Congressman Clark
Would be an Unworthy
Policy
By Will P. Kennedy, Washington
Representative of the Ocala Star.

Washington, April War time
prohibition was strongly advocated
on the floor of the House by Repre-
sentative Clark of Gainesville, chair
man of the committee on public build
ings and grounds, when the bill to
provide funds for financing the farm
ers for grain seeds was under con-
sideration. He challenged the mem
bership of the House to live up to its
convictions and the expressed will of
the people of the country.
Congressman Clark, who boasts
that he has not a "wet" spot in his
district, offered this amendment to
the bill:
Provided, That after the passage
of this act it shall be unlawful dur
ing the continuance of the existing
war for any person, firm or corpora
ton in the United States to use any
corn, wheat, barley, oats, rice or other
grain or foodstuff In the manufacture
or distillation, brewing or otherwise
of any intoxicating, splrltuous or malt
liquors, and any person, firm or cor
poration violating this provision shall
be punished by fine of not less than
$1,000 or more than $4,000 or by i'm
prisonment for not less than six
months or more than three years, or
by both such fine and Imprisonment,
in the discretion of the court"
When this amendment was chal-
lenged Congressman Clark made q
strong, patriotic speech. I'VE are pro-
posing by this legislation" he said,
to loan farmers money with which
to buy seeds to raise food products. |
am seeking to amend this so as to
provide for conserving the products
from these seeds. The very highest
purpose of the legislation is conser-
vation of food products. This extra
ordinary procedure is justifable on
account of extraordinary conditions.
We certainly have a right to say that
the money shall be expended in the
right direction and that the food pro-
ducts raised from it are put In the
proper channels for use.
''There is a demand from all over
the country for this legislation during
the war. We are cut down to Ia
pounds of flour a week for each indi-
vidual, yet millions of dollars worth
of these food products are rotting in
the distilleries and breweries."
When questioned by Representative
Reavis if the president has not au-
thority to stop this, Congressman
Clark declared that the president has
the authority but that the House has
duty to perform and that it is
"cowardly to pass the buck to the
president" He said: "We have the
opportunity and should have the man.
hood to do it now. We cannot escape
our responsibility by any sort of
camoufage."
When Representative Dyer asked if
| Congressman Clark had not voted to
| give this power to the president, the
Florida member said: 81 have voted
for everything in this House and ev-
erywhere else that will effect the pur-
pose of prohibition" He said that his
amendment would prevent the max
ing of liquor out of any sort Of grain
after the passage of the act. He
argued that the underlying, funda>
mental object of this legislation is to
conserve foodstuffs of the land for
the benefit of the army and navy and
the people at large" He said that
here was place where the greatest
conservation possible can be effected
and that therefore it was entirely IN
order to offer any amendment that
looks to food conservation.
In an eloquent, patriotic peroration
which was frequently interrupted by
applause, Congressman Clark said
"We have differed among ourselves
honestly, about the duty of Americs
in entering the war; we have differed
also on how to raise our army, bui
those questions were settled In q
legal way by the votes of the major.
ity of the representatives of the peo-
pie. 1t is the solemn duty of every
loyal American citizen to consecratE
his all to the defense of the eountry'i
flag.
"At this very hour, the flower o.
Pershing's glorious army is following
old Glory into the jaws Of death
We are appropriating billions Of dol
lars and giving hundreds Of thou
sands of the best and bravest OF Am
erica's young manhood to face th'
fiendish ingenuity of the Hun. But WI
are facing in mortal combat the mos
powerful, cunning and unscrupulou
military people In the world. Ou
|, army is a long distance from the bas
of supplies. We must husband AM
conserve our resources. Neither whis
ky nor beer is a necessity. Neither i
food. Both are useless In times hk
these. Yet we are allowing the dis
| tiIlars of uhisLrr and the hrarrera a