Evening star., 1942-10-02
House Returns
Price Measure
ToConference
Leaders Predict
Bill Will Pass
Before Midnight
BY the Associated Press.

While apparently ready to &C
cept major elements of the Sen
ate version on imitation control,
the House decided today to send
the legislation to a formal Sen
ate-House conference committee
for quick adjustment of phases
still in controversy.
Congressional leaders predicted
the bill, comforting broad powers on
the President to stop the rise in liv-
ing costs, would be routed to the
White House before midnight, just
day past the October deadline
set by Mr.. Roosevelt in his Septem-
ber you-do-or-I-w message to
Congress.
Even before the House decision
conferees representing the House
and Senate were at work on an in
formal basis.
They worked under the impetus
OF a reproof from the President, who
pointed out on his return from a
cross-country trip yesterday that
during the economic crisis of 1888
1t was the normal thing for Congress
to pass needed legislation in "a
hours or in couple of days.
Contrasted with the purely domes-
tic crisis of 1888, the President told
his press conference, today's situa-
ton threatened the very existence
OF the Nation from the outside and
il vot To
Mr.. Roosevelt conferred on the
imitation situation with several con-
gressional leaders last night, some
in person and some by telephone.
Presidential Secretary Stephen
Early, who disclosed this, would not
name the leaders.
Agreement on "Weighting."
Before the laboring lawmakers
was the Senate substitute for a
House bill. with altered provisions
for farm price controls and other
changes
With House farm leaders appar-
emily ready to accept the Senate
provision that adequate weighing
be given to the cost of farm labor
in the establishment of price CELL
ings, the chief point of difference
was proposal to place a floor OF
80 per cent of parity under farm
prices.
Both the House and Senate bills
provide for loans on the major farm
commodities at 80 per cent of parity
instead of the present IS per cent
Although the Senate measure makes
an exception for loans on corn
grown outside the Commercial corn
producing area" to protect hog
feeders from high corn prices, Sem
ator Brown. Democrat, of Michigan
said the floor. because it might
laise the price of certain feeds
would cause an uncomfortable rise
in the cost of meat
Chairman Fulmer of the House
Agriculture Committee, said on the
other hand that the House farm
bloc would insist on its provision for
80 per cent of parity loans for
three years after the war. The
Senate bill authorizes them only
for the wars duration.
Compromise Proposal.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
said one proposed compromise would
leave the loan rate at IS per cent
of parity, but provide for its ex-
tension two years after the end of
hostilities.
Conferees indicated there was
some House opposition to a proposal
in the Senate bill, sponsored by
Senator Norris, Independent, of Ne
braska that no increases in rates
of railroads and other common car
riers be allowed without presiden-
tial approval.
Whatever the differences, Senator
Brown said he could safely say that
the bill as it passed the Senate will
be accepted in substance by those in
charge of the measure in the House. -
This statement followed an informa
conference yesterday in which Ma
jority Leader Barkley said some
progress toward an agreement was
made.