The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-09-12

! Il 0 N L E 7 T E +
week, has single handed prevented
the notroius coal, oil and phosphate
lands leasing bill from passing the
senate in its original infamous form
The Wisconsin senator has out.
manouvered and outfought Senator
Smoot of Utah, chairman Of the pub
lie lands committee, who has tempo.
ra,ily dropped his defense of the
packers to railroad through the leas-
ing bill. AS things stand now the
bill can not possibly pass before the
end of next week, and then only in
modified form.
The crucial feature of the bill,
which provides that 20-year lease
granted under it's terms shall be re-
pealed without passage Of a special
act Of congress has as yet withstood
attack by the enlightened minority
in the senate. La Toilette, however,
has an amendment which he will in
troduce next week which would large
~ nullify the power of special privi
lege under this gift principle. TIE
amendment provides that the govern
ment may fix wholesale and retail
prices Of all products obtained from
land leased under the bill.
There is ample evidence that the
bill as originally drawn would be very
satisfactory to the Standard Oil COM
pany.
BAER URGES SOLDIER BONUS
An amendment offered by Repre-
sentative Baer to the bill incorporat.
ing the American Legion, which pro-
vides that every state must be rep
resented in the establishment of this
war veterans association under per-
manent feredal charter, was adopted
by the house on August q.
Mr.. Bae1's bill providing for ~
months extra pay at $50 a month
for honorably discharged world war
veterans, is daily gaining in popu-
larity among representatives in con-
gross. The bill provides that the
sum necessary for its carrying out
shall be provided from extra taxation
on all incomes over $4,000 a year,
and also by an upward grading of the
excess profits tax. 1t is held, pend
ing hearings, in the house military
affairs committee.
HOUSTON KILLS DROUTH AID
David Franklin Houston, secretary
Of agriculture, has given mortal
blow to the drought relief bill intro
duced in the house a few weeks ago
by Representative Sinclair of North
Dakota. In a lengthy letter just re-
ceived by Mr.. Sinclair, Houston ex-
presses the belief that the matter is
one in which the federal government
can not be expected to give financial
aid, and refuses to give his indorse-
ment. Rather than expanding money
in drought relief, the secretary says,
he is inclined to favor reclamation
work of the type embodied in the ir-
rigation extension bill of Represen-
tative Riddick of Montana, now pend
ing. State and local authorities, he
believes, must handle local drought
problems.
REFRIGERATOR CAR FACTS
Government operation of all re-
frigerator, peddler and special equip
ment cars, such as arc used by thu
Big Five packers to maintain their
food distribution monopoly, is urged
by the federal trade commission in q
special report on this subject made
20 President Wilson this week.
Stating that = government mono
poly in this line is essential to pre-
vent strangle-hold monopoly by the
Armour Wilson, Cuda}1y, Swift and
Morris ring, the commission points
cut that the big packers now own
60 per cent Of all refrigerator car
equipment in the country. It is
further recommended that icing sta
tons and refrigerator equipment in
addition to cars be acquired by tho
government, and that the railways be
licensed to operate them on strict
nonprivilege basis.
"Tllc volume CT traffic OF tie big
packers has enabled them to secur;
from the railroads advantages ovc.
competing shippers the report say
in part. "Io.lacriy in the shape OF
direct rebates these advantages or.
now usually in expedited service te
the big packer cars.
"The small independent packel
cars are misused and diverted, fire.