| Show IrlAN PLA I fiXING ON ONI I I DRASTIC I 1 J CAl More Mea Meatless tIe s sand and Days Too Favored by Hoover to Curb Food Speculators By International News Service WASHINGTON Jan 22 VV Deeply concerned as a result re re- re- re suit sult of persistent reports of profiteering in foo foodstuffs foodstuffs' and ll materials te essen essential ial t to to the h con conduct n a t of of Nai war on ont t dra ea e ea a law contemplating price fixing on ona ona ona a scale never before attempted by any nation The rb presidents president's bill was under consideration consideration consideration con con- by th y l house committee on agriculture today Its contents contents' were being carefully guarded by committee committee committee commit commit- tee members but Chairman Lever admitted admitted ad ad- d the price fixing plan Is very wide In scope The rhe bill will not be bo introduced In Inthe Inthe Inthe the house for several days Chairman Lever said Tho The committee has Its hands full till steering steeling the agriculture appropriation ap- ap ap appropriation I ap-I bill through the house homO The Tho president had indicated in conference with Mr Ir Lever Leyel that he desires speeds spee action however and the measure 1 probably will come before the house as soon as the agricultural bill Is out of oC I the way The food situation is the cause of very grave concern to officials Food Director Herbert C. C Hoover who vho Is Isnow Isnow isnow now secluded to prevent a nervous breakdown Is understood to favor in increasing increasing lD- lD creasing the number of meatless and I days to three each week to I enforce food saving It Is admitted by administration of officials officials officials of- of however that unless some way be devised to check food profiteering and to hold prices at the level so that the man in the street may buy actual food for his family any Increase of meatless or days would woud meet with great opposition It Is because be because because be- be cause of this fact that the drastic price fixing legislation now is being prepared The new bill is along the he lines JInes suggested by President Wilson In InI I I his message on the reassembling of 1 congress At that time the president said Recent experience has convinced me that congress must go further In authorizing authorizing au the government to set limits limit on prices The law of supply and de demand demand demand de- de mand I am sorry to say has been re replaced replaced replaced re- re placed by the law Jaw of unrestrained selfishness sel sel- It Is believed that tho the new legislation authorizing the tho fixing of prices will settle beyond question the authority of the president to declare by proclamation proclamation proclamation procla procla- mation meatless da days a days days a s 's and nd in general to place the entire country on a war rationing system In the tho meanwhile officials expect that with tho the return of oC Mr 11 Hoover to his desk in a few days the general food saving scheme will be greatly enlarged pending the passage of the legislation now in process of preparation The presidents president's decision to ask wf wide le leprice price fixing powers was as due in part to the limitations placed on the authority au- au of Herbert Hoover to fix Ix food prices under the food and fuel control bill Hoover Hoo complained to the president president president dent that he was unable to control the prices of ot many many secondary commodities commodities commod commod- only by voluntary agreement of the producers and that this system was not working satisfactorily The price fixing power under the I administration bill will be bo invested Invested in I in inthe inthe the He would be a advised however by a commission that would designate the commodities on which prices should be bo fixed and would recommend recommend recommend rec rec- the maximum prices |
