Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-09-05
HOUSE ADOPTS
FOOD PLAN
Control Act Amended in Record
Time So That Small Dealers
Are Open to Prosecution.
LANDLORDS JUST ESCAPED.
House Reverses Itself After Adopting
Measure to Punish Landlords Who
Squeeze-clothing Under
United States Control.

Washington. - Rent profiteers eS-
capped by a narrow margin being
brought Ander the power of the anti
| nrofiteering bill which passed the
house of representatives. After de-
Gliding first to include them in the bill
the house reversed its action. The
Iinal vote of II to 132 on the amend
ment found the Republicans lined up
solidly against the inclusion and the
Democrats solidly in favor of 1t.
This action was taken after the
house, sitting as Committee of the
Whole, had adopted the amendment by
vote of 10 to G3. In both instances
the Democrats lined up solidly i'll sup
port of the amendment, while in the
Committee of the Whole the Republic
ans broke ranks. The reversal came
after the majority whips had rallied
the Republicans back into line.
AS II passed, the bill was in the form
n which 1t emerged from the Agricll-
tural Committee, with retail protitecrS
In food, clothing and other neceSSarleS
brought within reach Of federal prose
cution. Final action by the house on
the measure marks the first definite
legislative step by Congress in re-
Spouse to President Wilson's demand
for measures to aid the government In
its fight on the high cost of living.
Debate on the bill lasted all day,
and the occasion was taken by the Re.
pubicans for q general onslaught on
the administration, Democrats rising
now and again to the defense Of the
President and charging the majority
with playing politics.
Rural members on both sides Of the
aisle rallied to oppose bringing the
farmer within reach Of the protiteer
ing and boarding penalties, and an al
tempt to include raw cotton with
wearing apparcl' in the list OF neces'
saries to be regulated was ruled out
OH Il point of order. Adverse votes
prevented the inclusion Of coal oil ana
gaSolene under the head of fuel neces~
Sarips.
With action completed by the house,
interest centerS rs to the srnates re-
ception of the drastic measure. Oppo'
stion in the senate Agriculture Com
ST. n
the upper branch, is very strong and
many senators on the floor are said
TO feel that the legislation goes ton
far. Republicans there will make the
same charge as was made In the house.
that the President for two years pos
sessed all the needed authority with
out exercising 1t against the prolitcerS.
Advocates Of the bill have Justified
its extreme provisions on the ground
that the emergency conditions existing
with respect to living costs call
for emergency measures, and attention
has been called by them 10 TIE ract
flat The new BILL which amends the
food control act, becomes imperative
nj Tie same time that measure does
when peace is finally proclaimed.
Permanent legislation to meet the
pr, :itccring vii in normal times ~
now under consideration by the house
judiciary Committee along lines sci
forth in the Presidents cost OF living
nlcSSag 1t is expected that II will
II, to. l.lI
fol EaSs.;,r.
Tie Democratic drive for the rent
III officers appeared Ia take the Kepub'
tic;:I ma jur.ty Elale eli less by surprise
Ii the form IN which It was offered
the uutldles.on amendment included
."twelllngs and dwelling rooms let foi
hire. rnmediately II w".' "'f'"e'i, ni"
;ority Leader Mjndell began raliyih"
,,.,,u$ig;on On. the Republican side on
he ground that adoption Of the
amendment would open the doors to Il
score OF other additions, the comhlne'l
weight of which would make. admin
istlution of the law inlpract:cab!r. Thu
deciding action WAS taken While iht
house w;iS sitting as committee Oh
the whole.
Rent" declared Mr.. Hudd!rSion, "is
certainly one of the neceSShrIrS oil i'te'
and rents have been halloonrd to the
skies all over the country. The Ills
content, especially among labor, Is due
in large part to the fact that Il man
scarcely can pay sufficient rent to In
sure his family shelter
Landlords Of the national capital
were made the targets for special
abuse and the debate yielded lie
mand that if the bill became law the
government should proceed forthwith
to make of the rent protitrcrs OF this
city sober lesson to landlords every
where.