Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-05
COP Move
To War Ahead
Of WiIkie
Republicans Say Bridges
Had Idea First
BY PAUL MALLON

Wlllkle. True, some Oh the party
right-handers in Congress are
biting their fingernails TO the
elbow because Mr.. Willkie is de-
veloping into a Roosevelt war
leader.
A few like Representative
Dewey Short of Missouri, Roy
Woodruff of Michigan and Har-
old Knutson of Minnesota are
serious about divesting their
party of the Willkie war influ-
ence.
But the party senator's on the
other side of the capitol and
party men generally are exhibit
ing no eagerness to take up the
round robin rebellion movement
started in the House.
A STORY is going around the
"A Republican cloakroom that
the original idea upon which
Willkie acted Forcing repeal of
the Neutrality Act came from
Senator Bridges.
He had the legislative drafting
service prepare a repeater bill
for him more than a month ago.
Sold it to Senators Quincy and
Austin.
But three days before these
Republicans planned to come out
with it, Mr.. Willkie grabbed
their ball and streaked down the
field.
Some personal dissatisfaction
with Willkie, even on his own
side of the interventionist fence,
has been caused by this incident
but it illustrates as we'll as
anything that Republican inter-
ventionist sentiment runs far
beyond Willkie.
TI1E- break of Representative
Il Halleck of Indiana, the man
who nominated Willkie, also has
private explanation. Two or
three factions of Indiana Repub-
licans have been Scrambling for
top positions against Willkie
domination in his natal state.
and the interventionist issue is
caught in the scramble.
The situation therefore has
underlying aspects of personal
differences and factional politi-
cal jockeying.
All that the Willkie opposition
really wants is to make sure he
does not carry the party into the
White House and drop it in Mr..
Roosevelt's lap. They will be
able to effect their purposes
without running any one out.
The mere statement of open
opposition may be as far as they
need to go. Most leaders agree
there is room in the party for
both sides of this question.
THE House banking commit
l. tee worked until 9 D. m. Sat-
urday Ian owlish hour as far as
Congress goes) to turn out the
inaptly named price control
bill. There was a reason.
Two good New Dealers on
the committee were out of town.
Representatives Kopplemann of
Connecticut and Sacks of Phil
adelphia.
In their absence, IL was pos
sible for the committee to adopt
by a vote of IL to IL. the farm
price amendment, which turned
the legislation from price con-
troll to a price initiation medium.
IL the committee chairman,
Stegall, had waited until Mon
day. this vote might have been
reversed.
THE scuttling amendment in
l. vited farm prices to go jump
ing 20 TO 80 per cent above the
parity level at which they now
hover. II sponsors such boost
for not only cotton and wheat
but for the processed finished
products of these products
bread and clothing, the two fun
damentals of every day living.
Mr.. Roosevelt indicated ii was
Canadian Prime Minister Mac
kenzie King who caused him TO
call in his congressional leaders
for a huddle about revising this
price control legislation, but it
may have been Dave Ginsberg,
the Henderson assistant.
Mr.. Ginsberg's shrieks, upon
reading of what the House bank
ing committee did TO the admin
iStration plan could easily have
been heard in Hyde Park.
BY an equally slim sneak of IL
TO IL the committee declined a
limitation on wages. while limit
ing prices. Its inspiration for
this action may have been more
political than economic.
Certainly few non political
economists claim prices can be
restrained unless wages are re-
strained. But the inflationists
who ran away with the bill in
committee decided to fish for
labor support rather than follow
true economics.
They were trying TO make a
deal between farm and labor
blocs whereby both could get
what they wanted. higher prices
and higher wages in what may
-rrow-facrtIUusfy- be called a
price control bill.
Distributed by King Features synd Inc.
Reproduction In whole Or in part
strictly prohibited.