Evening star., 1943-07-04
Congress RevoIts
Against responsibility
By OiDen L. Scott.

~ OJOSH l.. ScOtt.
Out Of today's revolt Of Congress
against the White House Is likely to de-
velop q more responsible type Of admin
istration Of wartime powers. This revolt,
in fact, stems from q strange situation
In which persons with little or no public
responsibility were exercising immense
authority.
There had developed here what
amounted to brain trust" that shaped
domestic policies and, on occasion, en-
forced those policies. This brain trust,
which stemmed from Harry Hopkins,
who lives in the White House, was and
still Is very small and compact. Its prin-
cipal members are three.
Ben Cohen is the elder statesman Of
the group. Mr.. Cohen Is right-hand
man to James Byrnes as war mobilizer
and Is the former Junior partner In the
Corcoran-Cohen team. The second Of
the group Is Richard Gilbert. Mr.. Gil
bert Is former economic adviser to Harry
Hopkins and now is right-hand man to
3ASNtAoO oAOWn - PAANS 0AAAAAAAA0W ~VOAs .
The third Is Edward Prichard. Mr..
Prichard Is not long out Of Harvard and
Is 4 former law clerk for Justice Felix
Frankfurter. He Is right-hand man to
Judge Fred Vinson as economic sta
bilizer.
This little group decided on a price
rollback for few agricultural commodi-
ties and selected the commodities. The
decision was made without prior con-
sultation with the Governments ofncials
who are responsible for wartime food
policy. 1t was made on this basis in
spite of the fact that the Price Control
Act passed by Congress specifically di-
rects that the Secretary Of Agriculture,
or In this case the food administrator.
shall give prior approval before policies
affecting farm prices can take effect.
One or two further examples illus
trate part Of the reason why Congress
revolted.
The frst concerns meat. The country
Is aware that the Nations whole meat
producing and meat-marketing industry
recently has been In turmoil. Congress
men discovered that an important part Of
this turmoil traced to decision OF
youthful Mr.. Prichard. Mr.. Prichard,
without prior consultation with the re-
sponsible Food Administration ofncials,
apparently had made up his mind that
public announcement should be made
that 4 meat rollback would take place
on a specific date. The announcement
was made before regulations governing
the rollback were drawn. No cattle
grower or cattle buyer or meat packer
had the slightest idea Of how he was ex-
pected to do business from that time
until, days later. the regulations ap-
peared. The Nations whole cattle mar
ketinR system was thrown into turmou
from which 1t did not easily recover.
Then 4 second example concerns
wages. This country has war LABOR
Board made up of four outstanding labor
leaders, four outstanding employer mem
bers and four outstanding public mem
bers. These are men of long experience
and reach their decisions against back
ground of wide knowledge OF individual
cases. Therefore, 1t has been something
of . surprise to the Labor Board mem.
bers to find that their decisions are SUBJ
iect to the veto Of 27-year-old Mr.. Prich.
ard, whose entire worldly experience
has been gained in recent Government
service.
In one case, as an example, the War
Labor Board decided that an equally
important industry In that same area,
competing for the same labor, likewise
would have to have an increase In wages
If it was to be able to obtain the labor
needed to operate. In this case, without
consulting the board, Mr.. Prichard de-
cided that the increase should be vetoed
and so he vetoed it. The result was .
serious situation In another industry.
The American people have the idea
that there is q sort OF Supreme Court
Of elder statesmen, operating through
an adequate machine and making decl-
sions on the basis of exhaustive study,
which now runs the planned wartime
economy. They have confidence In JUS
tice Byrnes, Judge Vinson and Bernard
Baruch, who advises them. But these
men have next to no real staff. The prob
lens that they must pass upon are many
and complex. 1t is only natural that
handy brain trust takes over much OF
the Job OF making nation shaking oecl.
sions.
However, Congress is not satisfied that
this method of operation is the best IL
is unwilling to permit the very life Of
American industries to be entrusted to
the tender mercies of youthful lawyers
and economists, selected without Senate
approval, and exercising vast authority
with no public responsibility. The Nation
has not been aware OF the way decisions
were being made, or by whom those decl-
sions were being made.
To try to remedy a situation that was
getting out Of hand, Congress has given
the War Labor Board specific statutory
standing. This means that this board is 4
creation Of Congress. 1t may mean that
Mr.. Cohen and Mr.. Prichard can be less
high-handed in dealing with its oecI-
sions. At the same time. Congress Is
trying to bulwark the authority OF the