Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-16
Morgen+hau
Tries TO Hall
Initiation
But He Comes TO Grips
With Farm Secretary
BY PAUL MALLON

w You can net your last III
come tax receipt that President
Roosevelt is going TO have 10
settle the present unpleasant
ness between cabinet members
Morgenthau and Wickard about
initiation. In fact, the matter
already has been discussed at a
cabinet meeting
Morgenthau, who for years
has argued unSucccSSfully for
economy, is now arguing against
initiation which President RooSe-
welt himself has said is at the
door.
Mr. Morgenthau'S latest cam
paign has been against rapidly
increasing farm prices. His posi-
ton is that there is two-year
supply of wheat IN this country
and "A one-year supply of cot
ton. but that prices are still
going up. The price of bread
recently went up ! cent a loaf.
Much Of the SURPRISES are
held by the agriculture depart
ment. which shows no sign of
letting loose. In addition, we
have rigid restrictions on the
importation of Canadian wheat
which the President could relax.
Mr. Morgenthau claims that
10 allow more Canadian wheat
10 come into the country would
not hurt American farmers be-
cause there is AZ cents per
bushel tariff and the Mime
apolis price is only 40 cents
above the Canadian price.
TllE secretary Of the treasury
L is not trying 10 hurt the
farmer, but he sincerely feels
that increases in food and cloth
ing prices necessarily are fol-
lowed by demands of labor for
increased wages which in turn.
cause higher prices Of manufac-
turcd goods, etc, and bring in
flation.
Naturally. Secretary of Agri-
culture Wickard whose primary
responsibility is TO aid the farm
ers, isn't selling government
owned stocks of wheat and cot
ton 10 keep the price down. He
claims that farmers have been
getting less than fair prices for
so many years that they are en-
titled TO little more than Con-
greSS has set as its goal.
This goal is So per cent of
parity for the major commodi-
ties. What is now about So per
cent Of parity and cotton is
slightly above 100 per cent
parity.
THERE is some criticism of
L Deputy Petroleum Co-ordi-
nator r. *. Davies here which
he might do well TO answer if
he doesn't want TO get farther
in the doghouse than he is now.
On June 10. at a conference
with representatives of the
petroleum industry, Mr.. Davies
said:
'In appearing before you for
the first time I'm my role as
deputy co-ordinator. 1 think il
may not he amiss that l express
to YOU something Of the state of
mind with which l undertake
the serious responsibilities of
this office.
First Of all, I should say TO
YOU that l am today a govern
ment employe. serving full
time, upon leave of absence
from my company, granted In
response to the request Of the
President. Thus. l have today
hut one allcgiance-an allegiance
To the national government and
10 my superior in that service,
the secretary Of the interior.
the petroleum co-ordinator for
national defense. -
N"INHIS il but a way OF saying
l. To YOU that ! am properly
free To serve from the inn
partial position Of government.
and To devote myself completely
To the public interest I'm the
present emergency"
The fine impression made
by this statement later was
diminished when one of those
attending the meeting happened
10 see registration statement
filed with the securities and eX-
change commission by the Stand
ard Oil Of California, Of which
company Mr. Davies was vice
president. The statement said:
ITO make his services avail
able 10 the federal government
In the capacity Of deputy petro-
Ieum co-ordinator for national
defense. as requested by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. the company has
granted Mr.. Davies leave Of
absence with pay :"
The pay. incidentally. is over
$4,000 a year and apparently
Mr.. Davies is still getting il.
NOW that the smoke has
~ cleared away after the
Henderson Knudsen showdown
on auto production. il appears
that Henderson came out
slightly on top. President RooSe-
volts reorganization Of defense
put Henderson completely in
charge of administering nom
defense production
With Don Wallace, former
assistant Of HcnderSonS. ham
ding metals. henderson has the