Evening star., 1941-05-17
THE STAR, WASHINGTON D. c., SATURDAY,
Revised Priorities Bill
Goes Back 10 House
For Reconsideration
Amendment to Set Up
Division Outside 0. P. M.
Eliminated by Senate

which would have established
separate priorities division outside
of the ONCE of Production Manage
ment and under the Munitions Con-
troll Board, measure to give the
O. P. M Board statutory authority
to channel the resources OF the
country into the defense program
and fix the sequence for filling
ornaments orders had the approval
of the Senate today and was ready
for reconsideration by the House.
BY a voice vote, the Senate late
yesterday approved the bill which
sponsors said would round out the
statutory authority of the o. P. M.
to determine which equipment
should be manufactured first-an
authority which now extends only
to Army and Navy contracts.
Leaders hoped the House would
accept the Senate changes early
next week and send the measure
to the White House. Defense
officials had opposed the House
amendment. Senator Hill. Democrat
of Alabama. presenting a letter
from Secretary of War Stimson de-
claring the establishment OF the
priorities division outside Of the
o. P. M. would "cause confusion
and slow up production"
Search Warrants Required.
The Senate made only one other
alteration in the bill, an amend
ment by Senator Danaher, Republic
can of Connecticut, requiring
issuance of search warrants before
any private dwelling could be
entered in the quest for production
information the o. P. M. would be
authorized to obtain.
Consideration of the measure
brought demands from two Re-
publicans-Senators Taft of Ohio.
and Brewster of Maine-that Con-
gress take the bit in its teeth and
set up centralized agency with
one responsible head empowered
by law to administer the defense
program.
Senator Hill explained that under
the bill the o. P. M. could fix prior
tiles for lease-lend production, ex-
tend such orders to Subcontracts,
control the distribution of critical
raw materials and obtain informa-
tion about industrial inventories.
In addition, he said the o. P. M.
would be empowered to fix priorities
for other Government agencies. such
as the Maritime Commission. Manu-
facturers who complied with priority
orders also would be protected from
suits filed by civilian customers who
failed to get delivery on their con-
tracts, he said.
Teeth Put in Price Fixing.
In belated development Attorney
General Jackson announced that
matters certified to the Justice De-
partments antitrust division by
the defense price administrator
would be given preferential treat
ment in order to put teeth into"
orders from the administrator.
Mr.. Jackson made public letter
to Leon Henderson, chief of the
Office of Price Administration. and
Civilian Supply, in which he out
lined policy for coordination and
cooperation between the latter's
agency and the Justice Department.
The policy, which the Attorney
General said had the approval of
President Roosevelt, included:
/. When o. P. A. c. s. finds prices
being driven up or held up by any
method or device which is prob
able violation of the antitrust laws.
it may certify the case to the de-
partment and it will receive "pri-
ority of investigation and prosecu-
ton" with an immediate investiga-
ton by the F. B. l.. antitrust law
yers and. lin appropriate cases, by
grand juries."
2. Proposed antitrust proceedings
will be submitted to Mr.. Henderson
for advice as to possible adverse
effect on price stabilizing efforts be-
fore further steps are authorized by
the Attorney General. At the same
time. the department will hear ad-
vice as to whether such cases should
be expedited.