New Britain herald., 1918-01-04
$ CHARGED WITEi
 USURPING POWERS
Some TiItS During the Sugar h. Vestigation in Washington

Washington, Jan. 4.-Herbert c. Hoover, the federal food administra- tor, was cheered by the audience when he left the stand after another day of wrestling with Senator Reed before the senate sugar investigation com 1aittee yesterday, after he had been charged with usurping powers of price-fixing as to wheat and sugar not given him by the food control statutes He also was charged with gathering fabout him as his assistants and pro- tecting men who were financially in- torested in the business he was at- tempting to control
 The food administrator concluded lis days testimony with a sweeping denial of these charges and with the assertion that he had brought sugar t;own to a reasonable price, and that the people of the country were over Nhelmingly behind him in his efforts to prevent profiteering in foodstuffs.
 ''The American sugar bill annually is $800,00O, ,000," said MT. Hoover. We have assured a reasonable sugar price for a year and this will save from $300,0O0,000 to s500,000,000 in l. the American sugar bill during the 5tWelVe months beginning Oct. 1 last.
 The food chiefs tilt with Senator Nardaman over the lattcrs charges that he had been protecting big in terests which he had called to assist him in handling the food situation came in the afternoon after Senator Reed, chairman of the committee, had announced that he was through with MT. Hoover. !
 Senator Vardaman, after vainly try ing to get MT. Hoover to admit that he was a legal resident of London when he was called to his present post, asked:
 "Mr. Hoover, did you feel that your experience as an engineer fitted you for your present work?"
 My Belgian relief experience, I think, fitted me for it, was the an- SWer.
 Well, then, why were men whose pecuniary interests were involved in the administration of the food laws called in as your advisers?" asked the Mississippi senator.
 MT. Hoover replied that job of the magnitude of his required all the skill that could be gathered together. <, 'dt's pretty hard to starVe both God ard mammon,' said Vardaman. Tn all that has been done the larger in terests involved have not been neg lected. They've made no sacrifice for the good of the public.
 But, Senator, these men were not making anything more than their pre- war profits," answered MT. Hoover. You surely, in justice, cannot say that they are not entitled to these.' Senator Vardaman replied that the "boys at the front were not getting pre-war profits, nor even anything like the remuneration they had been get ting before the war.
 The other tilt of the day came when Senator Reed, suddenly switching from the sugar inquiry, began ques- tioning MT. Hoover as to what steps he had taken to control wheat and flour. After tho food chief had ex- plained this Senator Reed suddenly asked:
 Then yCu usurped powers not given you in the law, and fixed wheat prices, after you had assured congress. while this law was pending as a bill, that it carried no authority for price, fxing?"
 MT. Hoover retorted that he had so told congress, but maintained that the steps taken were necessary to stabilize the price of wheat.
 Don't you know that such usurpa- tion in normal times would be a criminal act ?' broke in Senator Reed.
 The general intent of the law" said MT. Hoover, you will admit, was to give us authority to stabilize prices, even if specific authority is not con- tained in the law. Whatever I have done has been with the approval of the president. Whether or not it is criminal remains for a court to say. don't assume you are qualified to say. We faced a big emergency and Shad to meet it"
 "YeS, of coursc," retorted Senator Reed, "the presidents coattails are long, his shoulders are broad, and his position is urquestioned; but I'm questioning you on the authority you employed to fix wheat prices"
 Senator Reed then turned to a con- tract made by the American Sugar &Refning company for approximately 50 per cent of the Louisiana raw sugar output. He charged that MT. Hoover had made it possible for the American company, through E. D. Babst, to get the chance to buy the Louisiana sugar without giving other operators an opportunity to get any. Ml' Hoover denied this vigorously.
 Tn answer to inquiries the food ad- nlinistrator said that 1,50O retailers af the ,0O0 in the country came under the license provision of the law. which touched only those doing $100,00Q annual business. He said tlat to prevent cxtortionate charges I.y those not licensed he had directed wholesalers not to sell to those who had been reported as charging exor- Iifant rates