Evening star., 1943-03-25
Wickard Status
Left UncIear
By Action
Move by President
May Supersede Order
Of Lost December

President Roosevelt today an
nounced creation in the Agricul-
ture Department of an Admins
tration of Food Production and
Distribution, to be headed by
Chester c. Davis, president of the
Federal Reserve Bank of st.
Louis.
The announcement said Mr.. Davis.
former agricultural adjustment ad-
ministrator, will have charge of
what may be called the food produ1-
ton and distribution activities OF
the department" including the Ag-
ricultural Adjustment Administra-
tion, the food distribution activities
that were transferred to the Agri-
culture Department by the War Pro-
duction Board last December end
the recruitment of farm labor re-
Gently transferred to the department
by the War Manpower Commission"
Wickard Status Unclear.
The exact relationship of the new
administration to the duties given
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard In
an executive order last December in
connection with food production and
rationing was not made clear in the
brief White House announcement.
Mr.. Wickard, the announcement
said. will continue as a member of
the War Production Board, the
Economic Stabilization Board. the
Combined Food Board, and other
committees which now consume a
large portion of his time and pre-
vent his giving to the administra-
ton of operating activities the time
he would like to devote to such
administration
Gets Leave of Absence.
Mr.. Davis will obtain leave of alb
sence from his bank. the Presidents
statement said, and report for duty
Monday.
Last December the Secretary OF
Agriculture was directed in an exec
utive order to assume full response
bility for and control over. the Ma
tion's food program"
Mr.. RooSevelt's statement did not
say whether Mr.. Wickard would re-
tain or give up this responsibility,
with Mr.. Davis as a subordinate or
as full -fiedged food boss.
The executive order giving broad
powers over food to Mr.. Wickard
provided for consolida ton of the
then several agencies dealing with
various phases of food production
and distribution into two new
agencies-the Food Production Ad-
ministration and the Food Distri-
button Administration-and en-
powered Mr.. Wickard to appoint
directors to head each admins
tration.
Pending official Interpretation OF
the new setup, it appeared that Mr..
Davis was given direct charge of
most of the activities placed under
the Secretary of Agriculture in the
December order which gave him
full responsibility for and control
over the Nations food program"
Was Given Wide Powers.
In that order, the Secretary was
empowered, among other things, to
determine military and foreign as
well as domestic civilian food needs,
carry out a program to furnish an
adequate supply of food to meet
these requirements, and take all
appropriate steps to insure the ef-
flcient and proper distribution of
the available supply of food"
The December order specifically
gave the Secretary full power to
determine the need and the amount
Of food available for civilian ration
ing and to exercise his ''priorities
and ALLEGATION powers" through the
Offlce of Price Administration.
That order apparently was super
seded by today's announcement OF
creation of the single administra-
ton of food production and dis
(Saa DAVIS pooa SD