The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-27
Michigan in
Washington
BY PeryI shoenfeId

DAILY Press Washington Buread)
Washington. Sept. PA Mich
igan man is responsible for plan
ming one OF the governments big
gest undertakings - demobiliZing
the gargantuan federal wartime
machinery.
He is Harold ID. Smith, low-gear-
ed. tactful and highly efficient d.
rector OF the Budget. Described
variously as "the man who pulls
the national moneybag draw
string" and "the most important
man in the administration" Smith
keeps in daily touch with the
President.
With drawing up the details Of
lend-lease and war spending as u
background, he's about to begin
. the abandoning of emergency agen-
c:es and slicing down on govern
ment personnel. Blue-prints for
the postwar government structure
were already underway, but the
Presidents letter to the Budget
chief this week was the signal for
about planning.
How will Smith determine how
much money should be allotted to
each agency in It's postwar status?
Briefly, each agency must submit
four sets OF postwar plans for the
coming year, based on 1.) continue
ton OF the war; p peace on all
fronts; 3D. peace In Europe; A.
peace with japan.
The agencies must Justify every
cent they propose to spend" Smith
says. Budget examiners will study
findings presented by the agencies
at series of hearings, and from
them will determine the allotments.
Hearings began last week.
Though the postwar expansion
OF some. agencies, such as veteran
benefit groups, will in some re-
| spect counterbalance the curtail-
ment OF others, (OWI, Censorship,
etc., "the net result will be a size
able cut in federal personnel" &C.
cording to Smith.
Former director Of the Michigan
Municipal League at Ann Arbor
and budget director under Governor
Frank Murphy, Smith describes
himself as IAN independent Repub-
lican with Socialist leanings who
frequently votes Democratic"
That's Harold d. Smith. But the
ID" stands for Dewey!
The informal hearing OF Michi-
gan highway interests in Washing
ton this week before the Wage Ad-
justment Board was the direct out
come OF the Michigan Highway De-
| partment's failure to receive a sim
gle bid last week on a construction
job, due to lack of established rates
in that area.
The delegation representing both
contractors and labof unions in the
state, and headed by Charles NJ.
Ziegler, of Lansing, state highway
commissioner, presented their case
to the Department of Labor agen-
cy and filed a formal request for
approval of wage rates jointly en-
dorsed by them.
Ziegler pointed out that. outside
OF access roads to war plants, there
had been no new road construction
| in the state during the past three
years. To facilitate heavy war
traffic, It was necessary {, carry on
ten-and-one-half million dollar
maintenance program. Since the
highway department did not have
adequate facilities to complete the
task, II was imperative to let nearly
four million dollars OF this work 10
contractors and no bids were
forthcoming.
No recommendation were made
by board members. Approval OF
state rates is pending.
Just before Congress adjourned,
Sen. Homer Ferguson rose in the
Senate TO commend the retailer In
general-and Detroit in particular
for the part they played in the
war effort.
| rev pei SOu6 III WIN ioi W "o'A
ington realize the consistent and
effective contribution which deal
ers and merchants are making In
every phase OF the war effort" the
Senator said.
He cited FIVE principal types OF re-
taller participation in the war ef-
fort. PROMOTION and sale of bonds
and stamps: sponsorship OF radio
hroadcasts and window displays.
distribution through the mails of
direct pleas for patriotism: con-
tributions to Red Cross and War
| Chest drives.
"The service trades OF Detroit
and Michigan have likewise cooper.
ated with the various national
campaigns initiated by WPB. ODT.
VINO. and other government agen-
cies," the Senator said.