Evening star., 1943-06-29
Food
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Food
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production, conservation and shar-
ing of food plan he had recently
announced as in the making.
1t was a reluctance on the part of
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard to
operate under the setup against
which Mr.. Davis objected that led
to Mr.. Wickard being replaced as
the first food administrator.
Controversies over food policies
have marked administration war
programs since the beginning. At
the bottom of many of them has
been the question OF farm and re-
tail prices. When the first price
control law was being debated in
Congress, Mr.. Wickard urged that
the official responsible for produc-
tion-the Secretary of Agriculture
should have control of prices. He
argued that price was a delicate
mechanism which could be used to
encourage or discourage production.
Mr.. Roosevelt and Congress took
a counter view, holding that control
of all prices should be centered in
one agency, the Office of Price Ad-
ministration.
When Mr.. Davis took over the
food administratorship, there were
reports that he would have the final
say on price policies. but it soon
developed that he did not have that
power. The Office of Economic Sta
blllzatlon, an agency which often
sided against Mr. Wickard and in
favor of the OPA, continued to act
AS final arbiter after Mr.. Davis
came in.
Friends Of Mr.. Davis had empha-
sized from the outset that he would
not continue in the Job unless he
| received the authority which he
regarded as necessary to carry it out
properly.
Resignation Was Rumored.
While reports have been current
for two weeks that Mr. Davis was
stepping cut-he resigned June 10
newsmen received the impression at
the White House that they were
unfounded.
Mr.. Roosevelt was asked at his
press conference Friday if Mr.. Davis
| had resigned because of inadequate
powers. and the President said the
last he had heard from the food
administrator was when he said
God forbid when asked If he
would like to run the OPA.
Perhaps the development that in
fiuenced Mr.. Davis most strongly to
step aside was the Inauguration,
without his knowledge or approval,
of the price rollback and subsidy
program on meats, butter and coffee
"a program which has encountered
determined opposition by farm State
members III Congress.
Aside from his belief that such
subsidies will be ineffective in con-
trolling imitation unless accompani-
ed by taxes and savings to draw off
excess earnings. Mr.. Davis objected,
aides said. because he feared they
would have discouraging effect
on production of affected commodi-
ties. The rollback and subsidy pro-
gram has met sharp opposition
among beef cattle producers and
packers.
Problems Familiar to Jones.
Judge Jones. the new administra-
tor, has seen the food problem-and
the controversies-from the White
House angle. He has served in re-
cent months as agricultural adviser
to the Office of Economic Stabiliza-
ton. Many of the decisions of that
agency to which Mr.. Wickard and
later Mr.. Davis objected, we're
recommended by Judge Jones.
Somewhat contrary views of the
change in food chiefs came from
two major farm organizations.
Albert S. Goss. master of the Ma
tional Grange. said MIR. Davis soon
found that the administration
price control and food subsidy pro-
gram could not work and that it
was leading to food crisis"
Because he had the honesty and
courage to say So" Mr.. Goss added,
Davis suddenly found himself be-
reft Of all authority. His resigna-
ton was inevitable. Farmers, who
had high hopes that he would be
able to end the mounting confusion,
will be disappointed"
James G.. Patton, president of the
National Farmers Union, welcomed
the change in statement praising
the new administrator for his
strong support of the administra-
tons anti-inflation program and for
his friendly attitude and support of
the Farm Security Administration.
an agency which has been under
congressional fire.
In Congress, where both houses
have voted to kill the OPA's pro-
gram to roll back food prices through
payments of subsidies to professors.
Mr.. Davis resignation brought ex-
presslons of regret and chilled
some-but not all-the enthusiasm
for the creation of a food "czar"
with full authority over all food
problems. Many of the legislators