Evening star., 1943-06-14
CongressGroup
Appeals for
Ear|yAction
Roosevelt Alternative
Of Huge Subsidies
Meets Opposition
BY the Associated Press.


Senator George. Democrat, of
Georgia said bipartisan con-
greSsional delegation urged
President Roosevelt today to es-
tablish food czar with author
ity to make final decisions on
production, processing, distribu-
ton and price of agricultural
commodities.
A similar appeal is to be made to
Mr. Roosevelt tomorrow by men,
bers of the House Agriculture Com
mittee.
Asserting that I'VE Just can't af-
ford to have a food shortage in this
country Senator George said he
personally is convinced that if price
ceilings threaten to hold down the
maximum production and preserva-
ton of food, then price ceilings
must yield and there must be in
creases."
AS an alternative President Roose-
welt was reported to have urged
congressional leaders to provide ST.
b00,0000O0 to S2000,0O0,O00 in sub
sides to effect rollback of COM
modify prices to consumers-a Sug-
gestion said to have met with sharp
opposition from Republicans, includ-
Ing Senate Minority Leader Nc
Nary.
Want Overall Authority.
Without commenting on the
Presidents attitude, Senator George
told reporters the congressional
group which attended the White
House conference was not so vitally
interested in how this problem IS
met as in obtaining the establish
ment of an overall food authority.
Members were reported to have
complained that while Food Ad-
ministrator Chester Davis exercises
controls over production, he has
only veto power over price ceilings
and little or nothing to say about
the wages that can be paid by prcc-
eSSors.
Some suggestions were reported
to have been made that Mir. Davis
be given the overall authority, but
others were said to have urged that
it be exercised by War Mobilization
Director Byrnes.
Opposed Capitalization.
Representative West, Democrat,
Of Texas, one Of the group at the
White House, said Mr. Byrnes par
ticipated in the discussion and ex-
pressed opposition to the centraliza-
ton of authority in Mr.. Davis.
Mr. Byrnes' objection was on the
ground that the individual charged
with production should not have
control over prices, said Mr.. West,
for fear that in order to secure pro-
duction there might be tendency
to disregard the price angle.
1T is my belief that our primary
objective now should be to get the
production" the Texan commented.
Mr.. West said the group took to
the conference data showing that
sharp decrease was to be expected
in the output of canned fruits and
vegetables this year as compared
with 1912. A primary reason being
the inability of Gamers to pay wages
sufficient to keep their help.
Mr.. West, who is personally op-
posed to the subsidy plan, said one
of the Chief Executives most per-
suasive arguments for subsidies was
that it would benefit a great portion
of the Nations populace who have
had little or no income increase
since food prices began to soar.
Mr.. Roosevelt was said to have
dWelt on the operation of food sub
sides in Great Britain and Canada.
observing that the system worked
efficiently there. Republicans were
represented as asserting that con-
ditions are not the same in England,
which imports about 60 per cent of
its food unuer system by which
the government has ownership and
can control prices more readily.
Mr.. Byrnes was said 70 have agreed
that the application of subsidies
for rollbacks on prices would be
much more difficult in this country.
Before the White House meeting,
Edward A. ONeal, president of the
(See ROLLBACK, Page 2-X)