Evening star., 1942-12-16

' - AOs AC1Se
Of State, War, Navy, Treasury, Asri-
culture, the ATTORNEY General and
the Co-ordinator OF Inter-American
Affairs, all its powers could be ex-
ercised by Mr.. Perkins, Mr.. Wallace
or whomever they might designate.
Occasional Meetings Held.
what is the Job Of the board?"
asked Senator Tobey.
"The board meets occasionally"
Mr.. Jones replied, but few things
are submitted for discussion or a
vote"
You are told what has been
done?"
I'VE know at RFC what has been
done, because We get a directive.
Probably the other directors do not
all know about it. The BEW is
largely operated, as say. by Milo
Perkins and his assistants"
Mr.. Jones told the committee that
BEW lis the only agency that gives
us directives."
He also said there had been "a
great deal of duplication, naturally"
adding: I'VE had already made con-
tracts for the purchase of rubber in
South America. with the Brazilian
government, think. and others, and
IN many other countries before this
executive order was issued. Then
bEW came and from there on every
thing had to be agreeable to them"
The witness evaded a question as
TO whether he believed the present
situation, with BEW autonomous,
could be improved, but, when pressed
by Senator Tobey to answer. Mr.
Jones said, Il will say think it could
be improved, but I think in it's op-
Grafton, as time passes, it is being
improved"
Mr.. Jones said he could argue and
often had, if he thought a BEW
purchaSe-and all such financing is
done through RFC subsidiaries-was
unWSe, but he knew he would have
10 give in If BEW persisted in its
position.
Another Point Cited,
Mr.. Perkins, who had read Mr.,
Jones testimony, cited as another
point in favor of keeping BEW un-
1ettered that on September 5. l941
the old Once Of Production Man
aeement asked the Commerce De-
partment and RFC to build a stock
plle OF block mica Of 100000
pounds.
On April 13, 1912, the day the
President gave BEW plenary powers
Mr.. Perkins added, mot / pound of
India mica had been put into that
stock pile" and "only 10000 pounds
from Brazil had been put into it,"
In August. 194l. Mr.. Perkins told
the committee, OPM asked for the
purchase of 100000 carats of in
oustrlal diamonds for stock-pile pur-
poses. "On April 13, 1912" he said
none had been purchased by RFC
Tor this purpose from South Africa
the greatest source of supply, but
the RFC had bought for stock-pile
purposes from Brazil 167 900 cara is :"
Mr.. Perkins also asserted:
Mr.. Jones said he did not mean
TO create the impression, but I
thought from his testimony he did
create it. that the Board of Eco
nomic Warfare stood in an unusual
relationship as regards directiyes
issued to the RFC. Our language on
dlrectlves Is virtually identical with
that given to Donald Nelson (direc-
| tor of the War Production Board)
1t Is in no sense a distinct kind of
authority.
Extent Of Authority.
III Is the authority to program
the imports of raw materials, and
how to 60 at the getting of them.
and then to issue directives to &C
complish these objectives."
Mr.. Perkins also maintained. "We
nave never issued directive to any
RFC corporation without first talk
ing to these people. I have tried to
get clearance, have tried to get
consent In advance. Wherever there
was disagreement, however, have
not hesitated to 60 ahead with di-
receives and have no apology to
make for It,"
Mr.. Perkins said some newspaper
stories had carried the false i'm
preston" that 3EW was spending
RFC money without an accounting
We spend not one dime" said
Mr.. Perkins. I'VE give a directive
to the RFC. The RFC spends the
money, and We have relief exclu
sively on RFC corporations to carry
out these operations. Obviously
they audit the books Of their own
corporations and have complete
charge OF the accounting for the
money which is spent, even though
we may program particular i'm
port matter ourselves"
Mr.. Perkins said two directives
which were issued over the protest
OF Mr.. Jones involved planting
cryptostegia in Haiti and deal with
Africa for slaughter tapping of
rubber trees.
Objection Explained.
Mr.. Jones objection. Mr.. Perkins
explained, was that IF the war were
to be over within year or two, the
RFC would be in the position Of