The sun., 1919-08-22
Amendments Reported Ex-
tending the Regulation
Act to Retailers.
HOUSE TO ACT TODAY
Fine of So, 900 and 2 Years
in PrisOn-Waste Is
Forbidden.
FARMERS ARE EXEMPTED
Measure Limiting Cold Storage
to Ten Months Is Sub
mitted.
FARMERS ARE EXEMPTED
Special Despatch to The Sun.

Special Despatch to TIE Sun.
WAsHINGToN, Aug. 21.-Republican
leaders in the House took steps to-day
to rush through Congress legislation
granting practically all the additional
authority the Administration has
asked to carry on the campaign against
high prices.
Broad extensions Of the Federal food
control, providing that the Depart
ment Of Justice may prosecute prof.
tecring retailers with an annual busi-
ness of less than 100000 a year, that
all wearing apparel and food contain
ers shall be brought under Federal
regulation. and that profiteers and
hoarders may be punished by a fine OF
$4,000 and two years Imprisonment,
were reported to the House by Chair
man Haugen Qowa) of the Committee
on Agriculture.
Active control of sugar prices was re-
sumed to-day by the Government
through an agreement reached between
the Department of Justice and the Food
Administration that licenses will be re-
voked by the latter when 1t is shown
dealers have been profiteering.
Sugar should reach the consumer at
approximately II cents a pound it was
announced. based on the ownership of
the entire domestic and Cuban crop by
the United States Sugar Equalization
Board, which is selling to refners at
7.2Sc. a pound
Bill Limits Cold Storage.
After conference with Department
of Justice officials Representative Hutch
inson. Republican On. J). introduced a
bill prohibiting the cold storage of per-
ishable food for more than ten months.
except with the approval OF the Score
tary of Agriculture. A previous bill of
Mr.. Hutchinson, drawn after the New
Jersey statute, was believed to be un-
constitutional as a Federal law by the
Department of Justice. but Mr.. Hutch
inson has been assured his new proposal
is desired by the Attorney Generals Of .
fice.
On the reporting of the amendments
to the food control act Republican
Leader Mondell Informed the House that
they will be brought up for considera-
tion tomorrow and final action taken
before adjournment A special rule has
been prepared to make them in order.
The only recommendation OF the At
torney-General the committee refused to
accept was his request for authority to
act against farmers and farm organiza-
tons believed to be proiteerng. The
committee gave the farmers specific right
n 10 haro infn In
of their products
The committee partly rewrote the
section of the act on which II is mainly
relied to bring the action against the
profteers and hoarders in order that
there may be no doubt as to its pur-
pose. As revised 1t is broader than the
original act. and prohibits the following
practices in regard to necessaries, which
are defined in Section g. 1t reads
That it is hereby made unlawful for
any person wilfully to destroy any neces-
saries for the purpose OF enhancing the
price or restricting the supply thereof
knowingly TO commit waste or wilfully
TO permit preventable deterioration of
any necessaries In or in connection with
their production, manufacture or dis
tribution; to hoard. as defined in Sec
tion OF this act, any necessaries;
ITO monopolize or attempt to monop-
clize, either locally or generally, any
necessaries; to engage in any discrimi-
natory and unfair, or any deceptive or
wastefnl practice or device. or to make
any unjust or unreasonable rate or
charge in handling or dealing in or with
any neCcsSaries to Conspire, combine.
agree or arrange with any other person
(a) to limit the facilities for transports-
ton, producing. harvesting, manufactur-
ing, supplying. storing or dealing in anv
recesSarics; OBJ to restrict the supply OF
any nccessaries (c) to restrict distribu-
tion of any necessaries; (d) TO prevent,
limit Or lessen the manufacture or pro-
duction of any necessaries in order to
enhance the price thereof; or (e) to
exact excessive prices for any neceSsa-
ries, Or TO aid or abel the doing of any
act made unlawful by this section.
Prison and $1,000 Fine.
ANY person violating any of the pro-
visions of this section upon conviction
thereof shall be fined not exceeding
S.. 900 or by Imprisonment for not more
than twp years, or both provided, that
this section shall not apply 10 any
farmer, gardener horticulturist, vine>
yardiSt, planter. ranchman, dairymsn,
stockmau or other agriculturist with
respect to the farm products produced
or raised upon land owned, leased or
cultivated by him. and provided further
that nothing in this act shall be con-
strued to forbid or make unlawful collec-
tive BARGAINING by any cooperative as
sociation or other association OF farmers.
da irymsn, gardeners or producers OF
farm products with respect to the farm
products produced or raised by its NOM
bers upon land owned. leased or culu-
waited by them"
Practically the only comment in the
report Of the amendments seeks to jus
tfy the exemption Of the farmers from
Federal regulation.
THE specihc exemption was granted"
the report states. because Of the state
ments of the Attorney-General that the
enacted law would not give immunity To