Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
DELAWARE SENATORS
FIGURE IN HOT FOOD
DEBATE IN SENATE
Matter of Alleged Establishing of
Tomato Prices Brought Up
at the Session.
INQUIRY is TO BE MADE

Dclaysres senators, according To a
Washington dispatch, made some perth
nent INQUIRIES nj Yesterday S session of the
senate. when tho matter OF price fixing by
he food administration was under dis
ciission. one subject of particular interest
ia Delaware tomato prices-bcing
brought up by them.
Led hy Senator Reed, of Missouri,
Democrat, a group of Senators of both
PARTIES got into the FRAY Charges that
4 ccncral policy of fixing prices for farm
products, not authorized by the food
control law, is being instituted, were
made by Senators Reed and Bor,lh, who
said the licensing power of the law was
being so used that its actual result IS
an unauthorized pricc-hNng program.
In four-hour speech teemlng with
mttcr criticism, Senator Reed also de
nounoed the fuel administration, regard
ing results Of the coalleSs DAYS order
which he described rs a lockout IN
eastern industries.
In the midst of the debate, the Senate
adopted n resolution hv Senator Sauls-
bury. Democrat, Of Delaware. president
pro temporc, asking the food admlnIstra ra-
tion for it's authority IN issuing m official
bulletin requesting bids at fixed prices
on tomatoes for the army and navy.
senator Wolcott, Democrat. Of Della
ware. said Hoover had denied adoption
ot farm produce prlcc-tixlng plan, dis
tanning authority, but he and other
senator's insisted that acts of tho food
administration, particularly under its
wholesale and retail dealers licensing
r,owcr. was having that effect in actual
practice
senator Saulsburys resolution directed
The committee on agriculture to ascertain
=, What authority and for what
purpose the announcement had
,Ccn made and what the effect will be on
he production of tomatoes in the current
year The resolution was referred TO
the Committee on Agriculture, and that
committee. which has among its member
-hip several elements hostile 10 the Food
Administration, will undoubtedly take
NJ the inquiry without delay
senator salisbury, after reading the
rc~1lution. pointed out its Importance To
the people of Delsware. Maryland and
New Jersey, where about 50 per cent of
the entire tomato pack is grown. OF
the l,3ll,34l tons Of tomatoes packed
IN the country, Maryland, Delaware and
New Jersey packed 81, ,533 tons, the
largest amount coming from Maryland
senator salisbury read a statement show
ing that In Kent county, Del, on pro
duction of thrne tons per acre the cost 10
the farmer rs So 90. SO that under the
prioc fixed by tho government the loss TO
the farmer for growing a crop would tie
IA 90 an acre MIR salisbury explained
that the Food Administration had not
undertaken TO fix the prce. but had
simply made public statement transfer
red 10 IL from the Army and Navy pur-
chasing agents, but the impression among
tho farmers was so strong that this
announcement fixed the price OF 81 a
ION that this impression must he dIsslpated
within the ten days or two weeks. Other
wise the wear : pack viii he leSSened All
The way from one-thIrd 10 one-hali the
usual amount 50 that the cou ntry Will
i.c deprived of foodstuffs instead OF having
hc amount increased.
The whole situation created BY the
announcement. SAID Senator Salisbury,
vas undoubtedly n mIsapprchenslon,
,ecau~e the Food Administration has no
authority under the law and could not
hN the price.
There Is every indication that the
committee on agriculture will report
The resolution back next week. II II
also very probable that even before
the committee acts the food admin
istration will issue q statement cX-
plaining 70 the farmers that there Is
no intention whatever on the part OF
the government TO fIX q definite price
for tomatoes and that the circular Is
sued bN IL Is merely an announcement
that the army and navy, in making
rs contract for tomatoes and tomato
products. will base their prices on S2l
a ton for the raw tomatoes, but that
ihIs statement has absolutely nothing
"a do with tomatoes and tomato prod
ucis not packed for the army or the nav