Evening star., 1942-03-29
6pct, War Profit Limit
Approved by House
By Vote Of 10 10 3
Amendment Placed in
Bill to Provide 10000
More Army Planes
Continued From First Page.)

Appropriations Committee in pro-
viding $16,400,000 for development
OF an enlarged Stewart Airfield at
West Point, Representative Thom-
ason, Democrat. Of Texas suggested
that enabling legislation for this and
other defense matters could be con-
sidered during the next two weeks.
Airfield Item Retained.
BY a standing vote of Sc to 80,
however. the House refused to strike
the West Point airfleld item from
the supply bill.
A few minutes later Representa-
tive Ramspeck, Democrat, of Geor-
gia told his colleagues he had been
home recently and found the peo-
pie are not getting the facts on
what their Government has accom-
plished In pushing the war effort.
He said he would vote for a reso-
luton to require each member to
spend one month out of every four
at home to find out what the peo-
pie are thinking and what they
want.
Mr.. Ramspeck charged that some
critics are trying to destroy the
faith of the people in Congress
and In the Chief Executive" and
suggested to colleagues who are 60
ing home to tell their people there
are three times as many persons
working in industry as there were
a year ago and other factual in
formation.
Although Mr.. Cases profits
amendment was not debated at
any length in the House the hear
tngs made public when the bill was
reported Friday reveal he discussed
it In committee with Col. H. R.
Kutz of the ordnance department
Tuesday. Mr.. Case asked the
colonel:
In connection with this problem
OF costs. at a previous hearing of
this committee suggested to Gen.
Reybold of the Engineers Depart
ment, the possibility of a provision
that that portion of the payments
designated as the final payment in
any contract should not be made
until the contractor has furnished
the War Department with a salts
factory certificate of costs and a sat-
isfactory renegotiations agreement,
as matter of protection of the
Government. Have you given any
consideration to that method of
making it possible to recapture ex-
cessive payments, or protect the
Government"
Renegotiation Of Costs.
Col. Kutz replied mot exactly"
but added that in a number Of con-
tracts provision had been made for
q renegotiation Of the costs, based
on actual experience in manufactur-
ing part of the order.
For example," the officer con-
tinued, "in the case of machine guns,
the initial estimated price, after hav-
ing been renegotiated on the basis
OF the actual experience on produc-
ton Of Is per cent of the total Or
der, was reduced by more than so
per cent, and the price as renego-
tiated was made effective over the
entire contract"
Mr.. Case commented that he did
not believe 1t would be possible for
Congress to control that by merely
passing a law stating that profits
shall not exceed a certain per cent.
He added that some provision would
have to be made by which the Gov
eminent could get renegotiation Of
the contracts before final settlement
Is made.
In the general debate on the $18.-
100000, 900 measure, Majority Leader
Mccormack gave the House some
figures to show how much greater
Is the task of the United States to
transport and supply its troops on
the far-fung battlefronts Of this
war, as compared with World War
No. /. To show that shipping is
the great bottleneck," he pointed out
that the distances are so great that
only the bomber planes can be flown
across, while other aircraft must be
shipped
Because OF mechanical warfare
and heavier armaments, he said,
there has been so per cent reduc-
ton in the number of men who can
be supplied by a given amount OF
shipping. In addition, he pointed
out that in the last war this coun-
try derived more than half of its
supplies in France from Great
Britain and France.
Cannon Opens Debate.
In opening debate on the bill,
Representative Cannon of Missouri
declared:
Never has the Government la
bored under a heavier burden of
misinformation and misapprehension
than today.
Misrepresentation as to the ef-
ficiency with which the war is being
conducted, misapprehension as to
the character and integrity of the
service Of the officials of the Gov
ernment and of the members of
Congress in particular.
Under a barrage of propaganda
the people are encouraged to be-
heve that waste and needless spend
ing are rampant and that FUN
bling inef1ciency' and 'abysmal stu
pidity' are losing the war.
1T Is true that we are suffering
heavy reverSeS-and will continue
to suffer heavy reverses for some
time to come-but that is to be
expected. 1t is the result of condi-
tions that should be apparent to
everybody.
I'VE are attacked Unexpectedly
by two Of the greatest military
powers the world has ever seen.
Under generations of compulsory
military training they are Injured
to warfare and under carefully