Evening star., 1943-06-17
Brown
Continued From First Page

eric Gilbert, chief economist and
policy-adviser on the highly contro-
versial rollback of food prices.
When Mr.. Bowles and the pro
fessional administrator take over,
probably Monday, bstantia
changes in the agency's administra-
tive setup are expected. but there
will be no change in OPA's basic
policy.
1t has become clear that the food
subsidy and other proposals for
which Mr.. Brown has been criticized
in Congress are not alone his but
Mr.. Roosevelt,s, and the cliques that
have been trying to get" him, or
split his power among other agen-
cies to crumble the line against in
f1ation, are taking on not only the
former Michigan Senator, but the
President, James F. Byrnes, War
Mobilization Director, and Economic
Stabilizer Fred M. Vinson as we'll.
The lines on this issue are level
ing off for what we'll may be a
home-front battle which decides
whether the fight against imitation
will be won or lost.
The White House is convinced that
the attacks on Mr.. Brown, and
especially the barrage against
subsidy payments, are deliberately
designed to wreck the highly diff
cult and complicated task of hold
ing the line" and consign the coun-
try to the hands OF the 'inf1ationary
profiteers.'
Luncheon Meeting Disclosed.
Senators. Representatives and
lobbyists who in the past have been
leading advocates of varying forms
Of Government subsidies, including
farm benefit payments, are now
urging that prices be allowed to
balloon
Illustrative was recent coZy little
lunch party at the Capitol, to which
Mr. Byrnes and Mr.. Brown were
invited. Hearing its nature, Mr.
Byrnes lodged it, but Mr.. Brown
went.
He was confronted by Speaker
Rayburn and Representative Pat
man, Democrat, of Texas; johnson
and Boren, Democrats, of Okla
homa; Oil Administrator Ickes and
a man named Thompson, introduced
as a heavy contributor to Demo-
cratic campaign funds in the South.
Mr.. Brown was repeatedly told
that large Democratic campaign
contributions were forthcoming
from the oil interests, and that some
move should be made to take care"
of them fairly" Mr.. Brown was
urged to increase the ceiling price
on oil IS per cent, or from the
present 81 barrel to $135.
When Mr.. Brown refused, attacks
started from committees headed by
Representatives Boren and Patman.
Mr.. Rayburn, one of those instru-
mental in ousting Mr.. Henderson,
has been cool to OPA since. Mr..
Patman, however, decided that such
attacks could not be permitted to
wreck price control and reversed
his position.
Similarly, Mr.. Brown has been
under fire from members of Con-
gresS close to those in the food
industry, who have bitterly fought
dollar-and-cent ceilings in retail
stores. The White House position
is that without such ceilings the
public has no way of telling when
it Is paying legal prices and when
1t is paying black market prices.
Most vigorous of all have been
those who have tried to take away
Mr.. Browns power over food prices
entirely and give it to War Food
Administrator Chester C. Davis.
With Mr.. Davis chiefly interested
in production, the President pointed
out the need for holding the line"
might be lost sight of in a rush to
create new incentives"
May Lift Pay Increase Ban.
Basic issue is whether the tre-
mendous flood of dollars, which so
greatly exceeds the supply of avail
able goods at current prices, is to be