Evening star., 1943-06-08
OPA
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ucts instead Of about 100 of some
Importance"
We've failed to stabilize con-
stantly," acknowledged Mr.. Gilbert.
But until we do that we're going
to have creeping imitation. We're
threatened now with rise of 2, 8
and even S per cent a month in
the cost of living"
Il must say that is due to gross
ineft1ciency on the part of OPA,"
said Senator Taft. THE whole ad-
ministration is not in accord with
the Price Control Act. A difference
of 2 cents a pound on meat for
instance isn't going to affect the
situation whole lot"
Explanation of Authority Asked.
c. M. Elkinton, OPA food price
executive, was asked by Senator Nc
Clellan to explain the agency's au-
thority for the subsidies.
That's not pertinent" advised
Senator Tobey, Republican. of New
Hampshire. For the last several
years these things have been thrust
down our throats.'
Mr.. Elkinton explained that part
Of the determination" was made bv
James F.. Byrnes, war mobilization
chief, when he was economic stabil-
ization director.
George C. Thierbach, San Fran
cisco, president of the National Cof-
fee Association, told the House COM
mittee that the intended Scents
a-pound rollback on the price
OF coffee was, in his opinion, an in
territorial deception of the Amer
lean public.
No Production Problem.
There is no production problem
on coffee" he added. 1T is an i'm
ported commodity. The price has
nothing to do with the Presidents
nold- line order, since coffee has
been holding the line since March,
1912"
Mr.. Thierbach pointed out that
the proposed subsidy would save con-
sumers total of about 100000, 900
a year, but that the taxpayers were
being asked to provide total grant
of $100,000,000 year.
Representative Ploeser. Repub-
lican, of Missouri a member Of the
committee, told Mr.. Thierbach it
probably would do him no good to
take his problem up with Price Ad-
ministrator Brown.
This subsidy program" Mr.. Plos-
ser said, seems to have emanated
from the White House, probably
from the brain of some one like
Harry Hopkins, and given to Mr.
Brown and Mr. Davis OWar Food
Administrator and Mr.. Jones (Sec-
retary of Commerce) as an ulti-
matum I think the man you ought
to see is Mr.. Hopkins
Threat to Business Seen.
Another witness. w. E. Rea, man
ager of a wholesale grocery CO.
operative of Des Moines, Iowa,
warned the committee that "if we
retailers must accept the present
OPA regulations, We can't stay in
business
1--WE are not going to accept them"
he declared. And we expect this
committee to do something about
them and get going"
Mr.. Rea described himself as "just
one Of those suckers who has worked
like hell for 81 years in the grocery
business He said he was little
unique" because he had never been
in Washington before to protest
about anything.
Shirley Hess, Louisville, KY, man.
ager of a grocery cooperative, de-
clared conditions in OPA are now
so serious he believed price control
will break down and cause "a dis
respect for all regulations.
Mr.. Ploeser asked whether Mr..
Hess considered the OPA an enemy
of American business.
TT certainly looks that way" the
witness replied, adding that many of
the things that OPA has done thus
far to retard initiation instead have
created imitation.
Hoffman Monograph Quoted.
Earlier in the hearing Repre-
sentative Halleck, Republican, of In
diana, another member of the COM
mittee, read excerpts from a mono
graph he said was written by A. c.
Hoffman, who resigned yesterday
as deputy OPA administrator after
a six-day tenure: Mr.. Halleck
charged that Mr.. Hoffman's state
ments reflected a conviction that
the Nation could get along without
the small, independent grocer and
that chain store distribution Of food
would be more efficient.
Il think you will agree" Mr.. Hal
leck said, that his resignation is
Well-advised. He must have felt
the hot breath on his neck when
he left OPA to go back to the Agri-
e,l1f,1ro nono rfv,a~{