The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-09-04

The amended food control act is q
pretty small step at that, tor It will
automatically cease to be effective as
soon as the treaty of peace is ratified.
Moreover, it has yet to face sharp
opposition In the senate, where q pow.
erful group of reactionaries has
banded together to oppose it n the
ground that any action by the gov
eminent to interfere with private prot
it's is "socialistic." 1t will probably go
through next week, however, for a
majority in the upper body ar6 far
sighted enough to realize that even II
such action is "socia1istic" something
must be done to curtail the present UNI
restricted ~profiteering.
Features of Control Bill.
As passed by the house, the first
anti-profteering measure makes It un-
lawful to hoard, monopolize or restrict
distribution OF foods, feeds, wearing
apparel, food containers, fertilizers,
agricultural implements and fuel, con-
viction for violation being punishable
by fine up to $4,000, or imprisonment
not exceeding two years. It is regard.
ed - highly unlikely that any officers
Of the big combinations, who have al.
ways escaped the antitrust laws, will
be convicted by this new law in the
short space of time 1t has to run.
Largely through the enterprise Of
J. D. Miller, vice president of the
'dairymen,s league of New York, and
backed by the National Board Of Farm
Organizations and other farmer
bodies, the house agriculture commit
tee gave specific exemption to cooper.
ative associations Of farmers, dairy
men and other producers with respect
to farm products raised by association
members. A determined effort by a
small group Of farmer-haters to make
collective bargaining by farmers lille.
gal was frustrated on the floor of the
house and the exemption stands. The
recent summary arrest and disgraceful
treatment melted out to the organized
dairymen near Cleveland, Ohio, by the
city authorities there shows the neces.
sity of this specific exemption.
UUVsV VsVse00h E1SsV~ssOHb
That congress is less than half serf.
GUS in all its rawlings about getting
the proffteerG' was shown by the fate
Of two amendments to the enlarged
food control act which YER summarily
defeated on the foor Of the house on
the grounds that they we're too drastic.
One Of these, introduced by Repre-
sentative Huddleston of Alabama, pro.
vided that rent proitaers should be
subject to the penalties Of the bill.
The other, introduced by Represents.
tive Kelly Of Pennsylvania, demanded
that the two-year imprisonment BIZ
made obligatory upon conviction Of
~profteering, refusing the option of
fine. 2
Both were defeated, and to the
shame of the Republican party it was
the majority, acting under virtual or
ders from Floor Leader Mondell, that
insured the death of both amendments.
Why Clothes Are High.
With approximately 1,250,0o0 more
sheep in the country than there were
q year ago some figures obtained from
the department Of agriculture shed a
little light az to why an Atwood suit
Of clothes can hardly be purchased in
any city now for less than $50.
These figures show that pm June 80.
1919, manufacturers and dealers were
holding more wool in storage than at
any time since quarterly wool stock re.
ports were issued by the bureau Of
markets. A total Of $4,000. 900
pounds, with grease equivalent, was
on hand ON that date. :
Hearlng On Wheat Grades.
Immediate action to secure higher
prices to the farmers Of the Northwest
for their lightweight wheat will be
asked Of Federal Grain Administrators
Barnes, who has summoned his region.
u directors ct Duluth and Minneapolis
10 sit u 1t the conferences. in order
that the action decided upon, q be
put into effect with AZ little delay az
possible.
The delegation to meet with the
grain administrator will be headed ~
Representative Young Of North Da.
kota, who put through Shs necessary
arrangements last week. Besides All
Of, the North Dakota delegation in the
house and = group Of congressman
from Minnesota, South Dakota and
Montana, several experts + making
the long trip from the northwestern
states III order to secure. . portion OF
the Justice ling denied the fnrnorseby