THE DAILY STAR-MIRROR
NUMBER 12.7
VOLUME 27
MOSCOW, LATAH COUNTY, IDAHO, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1917
CONGRESSMAN PLAN TO RELIEVE FOOD SHORTAGE
Senator Lewis Would Give President Power to Seize Foodstuffs Being Held to Increase Prices —President Plans to Take Matter Before Cabinet.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.—The food situation was given consideration in congress today, and is soon to be taken up by President Wilson with the cabinet.
Senators, J. Hamilton Lewis introduced an amendment to the revenue bill empowering the president to seize foodstuffs being wrongfully held for the purpose of unjustly increasing prices in violation of the anti-trust laws.
Senators James E. Martine of New Jersey offered a resolution prohibiting the exportation of staple goods. President Wilson expects to take definite steps to force an appropriation to cover the cost of a food investigation. It was declared in the house that the administration plans to reopen the fight for the appropriation in the house if it is rejected in the senate.
Despite the recent food riots, officials ridicule the reports that an embargo on exportations is possible. They hint that foreigners may have incited the riots.
Representative Meyer London of New York is working to secure an appropriation of $5,000,000 for the purpose of buying food to be resold by the government at reasonable prices.
Railroads are now rushing hundreds of empty cars to the large shipping points, that on February  10th 165,000
held at distributing centers on
were
account of the congestion. 