Evening star., 1941-11-29
Price Curb Adoption
Thought improbable
Prior 10 Next Year
House O. KS Battered
Bill by 224-l6l, but
Senote Delay Is Seen

By The Associated Press
A badly battered version Of the
administration antl-lnf1ation price
control bill rested on the Senate's
doorstep today after a wearing trip
through the House. but there seemed
little chance of it becoming law be-
fore next year.
The legislation. which President
Roosevelt requested tour months ago
10 avert the threat OF unchecked
imitation arising from the huge de-
fense spending program, passed the
House last night by roll call vote
of 224 10 l6l. but only at the cost
OF major concessions and several de-
feats for administration forces.
Senate leaders indicated that
while committee consideration of
the measure might begin relatively
soon. there was little chance of Sen
ate action on it at this session. II
took the House Banking Committee
more than three months to draft the
bill.
Before the House agreed to sp-
prove the legislation, il performed
a number of jor operations on
the measure, including changes
which some members contended
would be fatal Administrator
leaders privately expressed hope.
however, that some of the eliminated
provisions could be restored in the
Senate or by joint Senate-House
Conference Committee.
As approved by the House. the bill
would authorize price control ad-
ministrator to establish ceilings over
commodity prices which get out of
line with the rest of the price struc-
ture. but board of review, provided
at the insiStence of the Republican
membership. was empowered to set
aside his rulings upon apepals.
The administrator also could pre-
scribe ceilings for rents in defense
areas, based on rents prevailing
around April l. 1910. if State and
local governments failed to adopt his
for such regula-
tions within so days.
Recommittal, if not complete de-
feat, threatened the bill when the
House began its final day of consid-
Grafton of amendments yesterday.
At the outset, however. Chairman
Steagall of the Banking Committee
began capitulating to the mounting
demands for revisions. As
it developed, his concessions were not
enough.
First. Mr.. Steagall sought accept
ance of modifica ton of provision
the administrator to en-
gage in large-scale buying and SELL
ing of any commodity here or abroad /
IN order to maintain price stability |
He offered to remove the revolving !
fund and open market purchasing"
features
. Subsequently. he agreed to a sub
stitute proposal by Representative
Dewey. Republican. of Illinois, lin
iting the purchases to those designed |
to stimulate the production of high |
cost or marginal producers and per-
the President to have exist |
ing agencies of the Government do
the buying.
Mr.. Steagall proposed to substi-
tute a three-member board to ad-
minister the law, hoping to still
criticism that the original provision
would make Leon Henderson. re-
garded as the probable choice of the
President for administrator, an ECO
nomic car" But the Republicans
refused to accept the concession. al
though they had originally clam
ored for such a revision A coalition |
Of Republicans and Southern Demo-
Gratis jammed through an alterna-
i've proposal by Representative VOL
,ott, Republican, Of Michigan. to
'etain the single administrator. but
'et up the Board of Review with !
'eto power over him.
Earlier in the day, the labor bloc
scored victory when the House
'oted down, 102 to So, a modified
orm of wage control. The cham
,er followed this action by approv-
ng the provision prohibiting the
establishment of ceilings for farm
prices below their 1919-1929 av-
rage.
Licensing Fight FizzIes.
What had promised to be the
major fight OF the bill-the attempt
'f the administration to write into
he measure power for the price ad-
to use 4 system Of IL
fsec PRICES, Page A-3) J.