Evening star., 1942-01-08
Roosevelt Hits
Price Bill Move
Of Farm Bloc
Attempt by Sendtors
To Give Veto Power
To Wickord Opposed
BACKGROUND

AoSb ouUtHtbf ttS ooUttttSIu
lion. fearing imitation because OF
rapidly expanding maritime in
dustry, asked Congress to enact
price control legislation. Bill Uds
passed by House November 20 in
modified form. 1t protected farm
ers by denying the price admin
istrntor the right to establish price
marimums until farm, prices hare
reached 100 per cent OF parity. or
the level OF last October I. Farm
block no,O is trying to deny final
soy to administrator, giue ii TO
Secretary OF Agriculture.
BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt stepped into
a Senate dispute today by sending
administration leaders letter op-
posing demands OF the farm bloc
that the Secretary OF Agriculture
have veto power over the fixing Of
farm prices.
The letter was to be presented
later today by either Majority Lead
Cl Dol hlCy vi oCildbOi LII VII ~Shi-
ocrat, of Michigan, floor manager
for the legislation.
They have been battling demands
by the farm bloc, led by Senator
Bankhead, Democrat. of Alabama
that the Secretary of Agriculture
have the final say on any farm
price ceilings fixed by the price sd-
ministrator whose once Is created
by the bill.
Senators on both sides of the dis
pute said the administration was
bringing unusual pressure In sup
port of single authority over all
price controls.
Taft Asked "a Help.
Senate administration leaders
called on a Republican. Senator
Taft. of Ohio to help them in the
maneuvering.
Senator Taft. who served in the
Food Administration during the last
war as an aide to former President
Hoover, had co-operated with Sen.
ators Barkley and Brown in draft
ing the bill in the Senate Banking
Committee.
/ Senator Bankhead claimed he had
50 votes lined up for his amend
ment. This would be more than
enough to overturn administration
provisions that price-fxing powers
be centered in a single admlnis-
traitor.
Test Of Votes DELAYED.
The House passed a less drastic
bill or November % and must act
on the Senate amendments.
Both Senators Brown and Bark
lev questioned Senator Bankhead's s
claim but indicated they would de-
Law any test of votes until tomorrow.
Administrator leaders asked Sen
ator Taft's support. even though he
differs with them over adminlstra-
ton of the wartime price controls.
Senator Taft asked that the far
reaching powers be intrusted TO q
board OF hve members, with the
price administrator as chairman.
Most Senators expected Leon Hen
derson, acting price administrator
under executive orders, to get the
post of administrator.
Senator Taft told the Senate yes
terday that the bill was very much
broa der" than price control attempts
during the last war. He said that
only food and fuel administrations
exercised price fixing authority
then, while the pending bill author
lied such action in almost all COM
modities and fields.
Big Price Increase Cited.
Senator Brown. who spent nearly
five hours explaining the measure
to the Senate yesterday. said after
ward that price increases already
had added $4,000, 100000 to defense
outlays by the Government and that
they would add another $l3.500.-
600 900 to the $67 900 900 900 defense
program approved by Congress be-
fore the outbreak of war.
If the rate of price increases since
outbreak of the European war con-
tinues Senator Brown said, it could
increase war costs by $50,000 900 900
or more on the vast program now
set down by President Roosevelt.