The Daily Alaska empire., 1943-08-21

patronize. Grade labelling, in my sincere estima- tion presents the greatest threat to American indus try and our way of life that existed because it is without question the spearhead of drive to elim mate brands, trademarks, and eventually free enterprise.
 In OPA we have people who like to control just for controls sake. cannot subscribe to policy of trying to apply price control to everything when all our efforts, energies and resources needed to keep the basic cost of living items at hand
 "Our young lawyers of OPA are so bound up in legalistc red tape that Houdini himself could not untange it. don't know how many hours they spent the wording of their classic order fruit cake but it is six pages of fine print They have managed to keep their fingers the strings of OPA and Congress might well consider legislation force oPA to employ lawyers with approved and lengthy records of ability before being permitted to confuse the public via their OPA rulings.
 Tn my opinion the best thing that could happen to OPA would be forced cut in the legal staff of at least fifty percent.
 Tn oPA there is hangover in attitude and methods of another administrator, which makes itself continually evident as an active obstructive force The heads of many of vital departments are handicapped by fundamental lack of practical perience We have large number of professors and theorists whose unworkable ideas have been con- ceved in the rarified atmosphere of the classroom Much of the confusion in OPA has been caused by lack of understanding of the problems involved in all their depth and a complete unwillingness to seek or accept the advice and knowledge of men experi enced in the fields that are affected In OPA there is marked dstrust of business people
 "The professional mind in my estimation, is one of the most dangerous factors of our government to- day Instead of the broad view that is theoretically
 
 glow of authority takes wings and through the clouds, tinimpeded by facts and unhindered by actuality
 "I have had my fill of these side--ule boys. have found there is no give in their inelastic minds They try to make walled city out of OPA because there is no opinion equal their unless it is of complete agreement or one of greater daring in their world of dream. They don't want the advice of people who experienced Their book-bound, dream ribbed, classroom minds definitely have no doors windows leading in
 Labor has been promised a roback in food prices yet with the exception of two articles there is money available for this rolback and today is in my estimation, nothing than empty promise.
 "OPA also suffers from the strange Washington belief that if you just wait long enough everything solves itself It have never seen such confidence in the healing power of time It is the old waiting game Direct decisions avoided One compro mise leads to another crisis and another compro- mise The idea of OPA planning and executing any food program without utilizing to the fullest extent the knowledge and complete cooperation of the Food Administrations people and the Department of Agri- culture is just plain nonsense; yet that has been done in the pasti We have had far too many vest pocket operations in OPA, and experience and prac tical knowledge have too often been definite handi cap to those who wish to help OPA
 There is no question that OPA has consistently defied the Price Control Act in refusing to consult with the business affected, except strictly window dressing There is little attempt to observe utilize the normal process of business It must be new and different and difficult or it isn't oPA.
 T don't believe OPA should be turned over to big business to little business to any group or in- terest. However OPA should welcome the experience and knowledge and cooperation of people who know the intricate problems of those affected by their ders. Industry should have part in making the regulations they must live with oPA has failed to advantage of business experience and good in helping make their programs work If a man owns an extra suit of clothes if he has been success in business that should not bar him from service in OPA and college degree should not be necessary
 "Only country great ours could survive the bungling and the impractical dreaming of OPA that has thrown much of the country's small busi- into confusion OPA must not fail. It is vital agency that affects directly the lives of everyone in the nation. It must be made to function, and only a complete housekeeping will permit this
 "Ihe record of the past proves beyond doubt that the professors and lawyers and theorists just have not done the job"