The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-01-16
AMERICAS INITIATION FIGHTERS
BY ALEXANDER r. GEORGE
Wide World Features Writer

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-Two
Republican business leaders, the
heads of two large farmer organ
izations, the chieftains of the two
big labor declarations and eight
high-ranking government Of
ficials will help Economic Char
James F. Byrnes control living
costs.
Members. of the Economic Sta
Utilization Board, they advise
Byrnes on measures to regulate
civilian purchasing power, prices,
rents, wages, profits and ration
ing in order to prevent dangerous
Initiation. - .......m
Economic Director Byrnes, re-
Gently justice of the United States
Supreme Court and formerly sena-
tor from South Carolina, is one
of the capitals ablest trouble
shooters. Keen, experienced and
tactful, he was rated the admins
tration's most effective handler of
legislation in the senate.
Business Representatives
Business representatives on the
board are Eric A. Johnston, As,
progressive-minded president of
the United States Chamber of
Commerce, and Ralph E. Flanders,
SO, mechanical engineer-eXecutiVe
of Vermont.
Johnston, who heads ceramic
and electric plants in Spokane,
Wash, has worked with govern
ment officials on war production
problems. b He advocates labor-
management committees tonCset-
tie disputes. .to IL e.n ~ Wal
Flanders, head of a machine
company in Springfield, VT, was
administrator of machine tool pri-
critics in the OPM. He is an au-
thority on economic and technical
problems.
Familiar also with business
management problems is Board
Member Jesse Jones, secretary of
commerce. The big Texan has
loaned millions of the govern
ment's dollars to thousands of
citizens
Two Farm Spokesman
Farm representatives are Ed
ward A. O'Neal, 66-yearold Ala
baman who is president of the
American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, and James G. Patton of
Colorado, 39-year-old head of the
National Farmers Union.
O'Neal has powerful influence
with the farm bloc in congress.
He advocated higher prices for
farm products against the opposi-
ton of President Roosevelt.
Young Pattons organization is
composed chiefly of farm tenants
and small farm operators. FIRE.
quently on the other side of the
fence from O'Neal, he has sup
ported the administration in party
revision and other farm con-
troversies.
Interested also in the farm an
gle of economic control Claude
Wickard, secretary of agriculture,
an Indiana dirt farmer"
Organized labor representatives
are William Green, veteran presi-
dent of the American Federation
of Labor, and Philip Murray, head
of the CLIO.
Murray and Green, both former
miners, have cooperated with the
administration on most questions.
Green has pledged AT. of L. back
ing of the sterilization program.
Murray withheld comment on
wage and price control pending
developments.
Miss Perkins On Board
Concerned also with economic
measures affecting labor is Miss
Frances Perkins, serving her
third term as, secretary of labor,
Three board members are. eSpe-
cially interested in seeing that
the program keeps the nations
FINANCES FROM getting too fan loft
keelg They areo Secretary ofc the
Treasury Morgenthau, Director OF
the Budget Harold Smith and
Chairman of the Federal Reserve
Board Mariner S. EccleS.
Leon Henderson, head of OPA,
will supervise putting ceilings on
prices and rents and Donald NJ
Nelson will have his say as to the
effect of economic sterilization
measures on the war production
effort.