Evening star., 1943-12-15

a single mission over German,
26. Targets of the Bit and B..
Senators Postpone
Vote on Subsidies;
May Act Tomorrow
BY the Associated Press.
The Senate Banking Committee
deadlocked on measure to end
food subsidies, postponed a vote on
the legislation in an executive ses-
sion today, but may ballot on it
tomorrow.
The postponement came after a
subcommittee headed by Majority
Leader Barkley reported it had been
unable to find basis for compro-
mise.
In response to questions of re-
Iporters after todays Commute
meeting, Senator Barkley said a
compromise plan offered by Senator
Taft, Republican, of Ohio was dis
cussed at length, but not put TO
"a vote. He added that his own
hopes for committee agreement
on bill that would retain at least
part of the subsidy program we're
no higher than before the session
started.
I'VE reported that our subcom-
mittee couldn't get together and no
further meetings of the subcom-
mittee are planned" Senator Bark
ley said. "The full committee meets
again tomorrow and we expect to
take vote then"
Bankhead Opposes Delay.
Senator Bankhead, Democrat, of
Alabama, farm bloc leader pushing
tN.Tepeal of subsidies, said he OPP
posed the one-day postponement of
committee action. ' T+
Senator Barkley called the COM
mittee together today after these
developments:
l. An hour long conference of
War Food Administrator Marvin
Jones, Price Administrator Chester
Bowles and the three-man Senate
subcommittee begged down last
night, with Senator Barkley an
nouncing he saw little hope of
agreeing on compromise
2. William H. Davis, chairman of
the War Labor Board, told Con-
gress a ban on Subsidies-such as
that already approved by the House
would be "the first act of a ma
tional tragedy" in that it would
start a race between rising prices
and wages
3. Congressional plans for a
Christmas recess to start the middle
Of next week threatened to force
a delay in the Senate's final sub
sidy vote, though the farm bloc was
driving for a quick showdown.
Farley Gets Nowhere.
Eve just talked, and practically
didn't get anywhere" Senator
Barkley told reporters after last
nights subcommittee session.
ut doesn't appear very hopeful
for an advance agreement; 1t would
appear the issue will have to be de-
cided on the Senate floor" he added.
There has been considerable COM
mittee sentiment for the Taft COM
promise plan, advocating S500,000.-
900 program of price support sub
sides in place of the administra-
tons plan to spend twice that much.
Senator Bankhead previously had
opposed compromise moves.
THE (antisubsidy) bill never
should have been referred to a sub
committee, in the first place" Sena-
tor Bankhead said. eve could have
reported the bill out early this week
and had Senate action on 1t before
the Christmas holidays. But we are
dilly-dallyills end making no prog
ress at all
Tax Bill Gets Priority.
Senator 3ankhead said he wasn't
implying that those who favor con-
tinuance of subsidies were delib-
erately trying to delay a subsidy
showdown until after the holiday
recess. However, he said, ct is ap-
parent that the tax bill is getting
first consideration"
When the subcommittee was Gre
ated Monday it was announced
that its report might be made to
the full committee today The sub
committees failure last night made
it increasingly doubtful that the
House-approved bill extending the
life of the Commodity Credit Corp.
and carrying the subsidy repeal
clause can be disposed of before
the holidays.
The CCC expires December 81
unless some extension is accorded
by law.
Mr.. Davis, in letter to Chairman
Wagner of the full Banking Com
mittee, said food subsidy repeal
would inevitably renew the tragic
race between wages and prices" and
"disastrously affect the daily life
of every American"
Contending the stabilization line
had been held on wages, Mr.. Davis
said there was a growing fear
among wage earners that Congress
was about to abandon cost-of living
controls and that this fear had pre-
cipitated wave of demands for
wage increases in industry. The
confidence of wage earners could be
restored by the retention Of subsi-
dies, he said. -