New-York tribune., 1919-12-12
Democratic Senators From
Louisiana Block McNary
Measure in Senate; Open
ly Threaten Filibuster
Demand To Be Let Alone
Underwood Starts Bitter
Partisan Debate Demand
ing Action on Rail Bill
Net1 York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.-Efforts to
secure action on the McNary bill, ex-
tending the Sugar Equalization Board
for another year and giving the Fed
eral government power to control prices
and distribution Of sugar, were de-
feated in the Senate to-day by South
ern Democratic Senators.
Senator McNary asked the Senate to
displacc the Cummins railroad bill with
his measure. Senators Ransdell and
Gay, of Louisiana, Immediately led a
tight against the motion, and after two
hours discussion, during which Sem
ator Underwood. of Alabama, who is a
candidate for the position of Demo-
cratic leader in the Senate, attacked
the Republican Congress for failure to
was defeated, 80 to 27, and the Senate
continued with the railroad bill.
The Louisiana Senators openly
threatened to filibuster the McNary
bill to death if it was pressed to-day.
They declared that they would not
accept the bill with notifications that
would permit the sale of Louisiana
sugar in the open market.
Want To Be Left Alone
owe want to be left alone" Senator
Ransdell declared.
When Senator McNary made his mo-
tion Senator Norris, Republican, of
Nebraska, favored it. He declared thai
the sugar question could not wait be-
cause delay meant the loss of the
Cuban crop, which he said must be
bought by the United States if the
Sl1 J,1 %A J.,
railroad bill could wait, Senator Nor
ris said, because everybody knows it
will finally be shaped in conference"
"unless the sugar situation is re-
lieved by immediate action" he con-
tinucd, sugar will go out Of sight and
utterly beyond the reach of many"
"The price of sugar is likely to go to
25 cents, in my opinion" said Senator
Ncrris.
Senator Underwood protested against
the displacement of the railroad bill,
which he said was the most important
legislation before Congress. His at
tack upon the Republicans stirred up
a bitter political discussion that con-
tinued for an hour At it's conclusion
Senator McNary reverted to the sugar
situation.
"If we had talked less politics and
more sugar" said Senator McNary,
Eve would have passed this bill by
this hour"
Senator Smith, Democrat. South
Carolina, protested against the zone
system of sugar distribution estab-
lished by the equalization board.
'I have just bought 160 pounds Of
sugar at 20 cents a pound,' he said.
"Nhere?" Senators Shout
There were exclamations all around
him. "Where did you get -" Senators
asked.
81 bought it from a dealer down
home,' Senator Smith said "Maybe
the dealer should be prosecuted for
be prosecuted for buying it, When
bought it the dealer had to come to
me and whisper that l must not tell
any one where ! got it. l would like
to know why we have to live under
such conditions? Sometimes | have to
punch myself TO find out whether | am
living in America or not.
81 am opposed to any regulation of
prices or distribution Of commodities.
predict that if we continue the Sugar
Equalization Board for one year we
will have to continue it for another.
Why do Senators not urge an equaliza-
tion board to control prices and dis
tribution Of meats, of butter and eggs,
clothing and other necessities? Why
not? They are abnormally high now"
Senator Mcclellan, Democrat, Tennes-
see, said that Senator McNary had ac-
cepted an amendment framed by him
prohibiting the zoning system OF dis
tribution.
"If the butter and eggs people and
the meat people" he said, "sell their
commodities for one price in one sec
tion Of the country and for from so to
then we should regulate them. too.
That is what government is for.''