Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-23
j. 8. STRONG ARM
STRETCHING OUT
To TOUCH NEARLY
ALL NECESSITIES
Stricter Regulation Than in
War Time of Fo0dstuffs is
Provided in Bill Passed BY
Lower House.
COTTON, AS USUAL, IS
EXEMPTED FROM BILL
Political Discussion Features
Passage of Amendment; Ro-
denberg and HefIin Equally
Extreme.
10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrssl


Washington, Aug. 22.-Without
amendment and with practically no
opposition, the house late today voted
to amend the Lever food control act
to extend its provisions to include
clothing. containers OF food, feed or
fertilizers, fuel oil. and implements
used in production Of necessities, and
to penalize profiteering by a $4,000
fine or two years imprisonment.
Efforts were made by both repub-
licans and democrats to have the
amendments provisions cover necessl-
ties other than those included in the
amendments reported by the agricul-
ture committee. Inclusion of kerosene
and gasoline was proposed by Repre-
sentative Strong, republican, of Kan
sas, who said the prices of these
products had increased 800 per cent
in the last two years, but his amend
ment was rejected by a close vote
while that of Representative Newton,
republican, of Minnesota, to include
raw cotton was eliminated on a point
of order by Representative Blanton,
democrat, of Texas
Attempts to bring farmers and
farm organizations within the juris-
diction of the amendment also were
blocked.
Retailers Included.
Recommendation of Attorney Cen
eral Palmer to include retailers doing
a business of less than 500, o66 under
the profiteering section so that the
department of justice might go after
the ",ittle ones" were included i'll the
measure proposed.
Five hours of general debate pre-
Ceded passage of the measure-the
first legislative step in carrying out
the recommendation of President
Wilson in his recent address to con-
gress on the high cost of living. The
hutchinson cold storage bill, modelled
on the New Jersey act recommended
to congress by the president as wor- |
thy of patterning after, will be re-
ported to the house next week.
Political determinations.
Debate today consisted largely in at |
tacks and defense of the administra-
ton, republicans asserting that the
democrats, with mastery inactivity"
had avoided discussion of remedies
for the high cost of living and demo-
cratic members charging that "repub- |
licans had been busy playing politics I,
and were mindful of coming cleo |
tions."
Representative Rodenburg, republi- |
can, Illinois, opening discussion on the |!
measure, criticised President Will |
sons feeble effort to establish some |
sort of connection between the present |
high cost of living and the league of |
nations and said that the presi-
dents mind for the last nine months /
had been completely absorbed by the |
idea of the league of nations
IF there is a famine in China" the |
Illinois member continued. "a draught |
in India. flood in the Mississippi |
valley, an earthquake in Porto Rico,
a volcanic eruption in Central Amer
lea or an epidemic of spinal menin-
gifts in New York city, the president
by a process of reasoning that salts,
fes himself at least, has convinced
himself that the sole contributing
cause was the failure of the league of
nations
Heflin's Rcio;nder.
Representative Heflin, democrat,
Ala bama, charged that republican OPP
position to the league OF nations had
become SO pronounced that the chap
lain of the house was not permitted
to pray for acceptance of the league
of nations He said the chaplain had
offered such a prayer one morning
and since then his lips have been
sealed by a high member of the re-
publican party"
Indications of the close interest
with which President Wilson is fol-
lowing every move in the fight on
high prices was given today in
lengthy conference which he held
with Attorney General Palmer and
Director General Hines.
Mr., Palmer also was in conference
today with the senate agricultural
subcommittee considering amend
ments TO the food act.