Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-04
Packer Control
Bill Finally Is
Passedby House
Control Measure Approved
Without Record Vote
Motion for Recommit.
ment Fails ESQ to II.

Washington, June 5.--The house
passed the meat packer control bill
yesterday without roll call. Before
the final action was taken the house
rejected motion by Representative
Jones of Texas to recommit the bill
with instructions to strike out Sec
ton which limits control by states
over stock yard rates and regula-
ticns. This motion was defeated by
vote of II to 256.
Failure to demand a roll call on
final passage was due to the fact
that the packers have made no ef-
fort to oppose the measure. While
scattering members indicated their
opposition on the ground that it is
an extension of governmental control
of business contrary to President
Harding's dictim of 'less govern
ment in business" there was no or
ganized fight on the BILL.
The bill now goes to the senate
where the program is to bring it
up as soon as the army bill is out
of the way. This may be week
or more. i.
Fight Expected. d
Inasmuch as the bill reported by
the senate agriculture committee is
virtually the same as the one passed
by the senate last winter, it is be-
lieved that the measure will carry
by substantial margin.
Senator Smoot of Utah, it is un-
derstood, will lead fight to substi-
tute the house bill for the agricul-
ture committees measure. which IS
now called the Norris bill, after the
chairman of the committee. The
house bill is considered less <objec-
tionable from the packers point OF
view than the senate measure. !.
Senator Kenyon of Iowa, one Of
the trainers of the senate bill. de-
clared that the substitution of the
house bill would meet formidable
resistance. The chief point of differ
enee in the two measures lies in
the fixing of the responsibility fer
the administration of the law. The
house bill vests the authority in the
secretary of agriculture, who prob
ably will delegate it to some minor
official. The senate bill would create
a federal live stock commissioner
under the Department of Agricul-
ture. In this manner the senate
would reserve to itself the power to
control the appointment of the Of
ficer charged with the administration
of the law.
Jefferis Opposes Passage.
In voting to recommit the bill,
which the house has had under con-
sideration since last Friday, Con-
gressman Jefferis said that he was
prompted to vote for recommitting
the bill with instructions to strike
out certain Objectionable features be-
cause he firmly believed the states
were fully qualified to 1egislate on
matters pertaining to the control of
the packing houses within their bor-
ders and that while packing COM
panies might be termed subjects of
commerce, he was unable
to see where the interstate commerce
law could possibly apply to commits
sion firms and stockholders, large or
small, as their purchases and sales
were made wholly within the state
in which the transactions occurred.
"This bill is another encroachment
on the rights of the several states,"
said the Omaha congressman, "and
another attempt to vest additional
power in the central government"
Congressman Evans also voted to
recommit the bill.
Senator Norris, chairman of the
committee on agriculture of the SEN
ate said it was his intention to sub,
stitute the senate bill for the house
bill, striking out of the house bill,
everything after the enacting clause.