Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-15
President 10 Leave
Bill
Draft Up TO Congress
Legislators Soy He Plans
To Outline Detectives
In Letters to Leaders
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Defense Mediation Board, set
up By President Roosevelt in
effort to dUert Uork stoppdues
in defense plants. can only make
recommendation to labor and
employers. SelectiUe Service Act
empowers Chief ErecuttUe to take
oper any plant refusing" to I'LL
defense orders. Senate passed
bill Thursday giving President
specific statutory authority TO
take orer deferSe plants Uhere
production is threatened by labor
disputes.
President Roosevelt will ask Con-
gress, informed legisla tors said yes
terday, to write its own version OF
legislation permitting the Govern
ment to requisition private property
for defense purposes.
These legislators said the Presi-
dent was expected soon 10 address
letters to the chsirmen of the Senate
and House Military Affairs Com
mittees setting forth the objectives
the Government wished TO accom-
pllsh and suggesting that Congress
phrase bill as 1t sees fit.
A property seizure bill submitted
to Congress recently by the War
Department aroused a storm OF
controversy because of its sweeping
nature. 1t proposed to authorize
the President TO requisition, tenn
porary or permanently any prop
erty, tangible or Intangible. which
he decided was needed for defense.
President Would Evaluate Property.
The President would decide the
value Of the property and, if the
owners thought his figure was too
low, they would be paid IS per cent
of his price and could sue for any
additional sum they thought was
due.
Some legislators charged that the
powers were so comprehensive that
the President could take over pri-
vate property where its use would
be only remotely connected with
the defense program
Acting Majority Leader Bvrnes
told reporters revisions would have
to be made in the bill to define more
clearly the powers to be exercised.
Administration men said needs Of
the current situation would not be
met by legislation, already approved
by the Senate and pending in the
House, which would permit the
Government TO take over defense
plants when production is stopped
or threatened.
They pointed to War Depart
ment memorandum which said that
many machine tools. probably our
most critical item" were being used
in industries not manufacturing
defense articles or were held by
secondhand dealers who demand
unreasonable prices"
Large Aluminium Stocks.
1t also said that there were large
stocks of aluminium and other crit
ical raw materials in plants not
producing for the defense program
which could be taken over and sold
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airplane engines under the proposed
law.
In addition, the department said
1t desired authority TO commander
some privately owned airplanes and
boats whose owners had refused to
sell them to the Government.
The matter of foreign patents also
| would be covered.
1T has been charged" the memo
randum said, that through patent
! controls the Nazis are obtaining
valuable information and large rev.
enueS from this country and that
they control some of our vital in.
dustries. These patent rights and
stock controls could be reuuisitioned
by our Government under the pro-
posed legislation"
Also to be covered would be de.
Tense articles or contracts for their
manufacture held by foreign gov
ernments who are unwilling to sell
to us"