Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-12
Ickes Fails
In I'd Grab
For Power
Tries 10 Unse al OIds
as Electricity Gar
BY PAUL MALLON

VA AL is'NNs Wv N"h'
W IckeS. having been elcft at
the post in The race for control
of the rich new power defense
program. called for another race
eff his own deViSinG IN private a
few days back.
You will recall in the first
one, Chairman Leland OldS and
his federal power commission
ran off with the high voltage
stakes while Mr.. IckeS was still
in the stable. Mr. OldS rushed
a comprehensive plan for power
expansion 10 the White House
before lckeS could get there with
a substitute.
.Thcrcupon Mr. Ickes de-
nounced the winners report as
hodgc-podge He stopped this
direct denunclation method of
attack after one stab. but II was
generally expected he would be
back again with something new
shortly.
TRUE to form. this past week.
Secretary lckeS called
meeting Of something called the
federal power policy committee,
of which he is chairman. He is
supposed TO have dominated II in
the past through its legal coun-
sci, Ben Cohen, although the
latest congressional directory
says the counsel post is vacant.
And IckeS' control may have
been vacated as well. Committee
vice chairman is Mr.. Olds, and
the members are government Of
ficials, Carmody of federal works
agency, Chairman Eicher of
SEC, iva Director Dave Lillien-
thai, Harry Slattery, REA adj
ministrator War UnderSecretary
Patterson. RFC Chairman
Schram, Bonneville Dam Admin
lstrator Paul J. Raver.
As soon as Chairman Ickes
had called the meeting 10 order,
one OF the Ickophants present
offered a proposal.
llckophants. is not my word
but that of some government Of
ficialS 10 describe the little clique
of former SEC attorneys who
are lowering around IckeS trying
TO make him power car so he
can lckeSate the power Situa-
ton as he is now IckeSating the
oil industry and motorists. II
rhymes with sycophant in more
than one way
THE proposition was not very
subtle 1t was that the
power policy committee be made
the central agency for the de-
tense power program and that
all projects be submitted to the
committee for approval and CO.
ordination.
According TO the 1ckophants
who backed the idea, it would
make each of the agencies rep
resented on the committee
tFPC, FWA, IVA. etc.) agents
OF the committee Just Incl
dentally talthough no one men
toned this) ii would take the
Craftsmanship of the prize away
from Mr. OldS and give it TO Mr..
lCkcS.
Now no official here likes 10
engage IckeS IN controversy.
for reasons which must be so
widely apparent by now as not
10 require reinstatement, but this
was little too much. One dar-
lng member of the committee
mot an lckophanD boldly con-
tended that the federal agencies
were established by Act of Con-
greSs and therefore it was
legally impossible to make them
agents of lckeS committee. Set
up by statute. they could not
be agents of another organiza-
ton
IN THIS note, the meeting
" adjourned indefinitely, that
is, with no future meeting
scheduled.
Proponents OF the OldS plan.
including the OPM defense
power experts. retired 10 await
lckes' third assault. which they
expect shortly. hoping the next
one will show some improve
ment IN cleverneSS as well as
practlcabllity over the first two.
But the problem of how 10
steal the show from OldS is not
going 10 get any easier for the
lckophantS. OldS is supposed TO
have received some RFC money
already and Is going ahead with
his program, construction 10
start at once.
Thus progresses defense unity
in the government calling loudly
for unity among ITS people.
CET set for a stiff further up
~ ping of the tax bill in the
Senate finance committee. not
only broadening the income tax
, base but expanding nuisance
taxes. Mr.. MorgenthauS teSti-
mony represented a change of
administration policy front.
Finance Chairman George is
agreed
Fact is the So-callcd defense
expenditures this fiscal year CIT
began July II will be SD 000.-
100000 When the House wrote
the $500 600. 600 revenue rails
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