The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-30
Observations
McNutt, Hershey
in Feud About
War Workers
BY Helen Essary


draft crisis in war production was
another official scrap between War
Manpower Director Paul V. Me
Mutt and Selective Service Direc-
tor Le- b. Hershey as to which
one really runs selectiyc service.
Congress recently cut selccti'c
service adrift from the War Man
power Commission. But General
Hershey still is required TO CON
suit" with MeNutt. The latter has
interpreted this 10 mean that he
runs the draft
Hershey. however, has display
cd great independence. When the
Presidents memorandum tighten
ing up occupational deferments
was issued Hershey cracked down
hard on occupational deferments.
Industry protested to McNutt and
to WPB Chief Donald VI. Nelson.
McNutt and Nelson took the mat
ter TO the White House. What
they got was a telegram from Her
shey 10 local boards telling them
that state draft directors were eN-
pected to recommend deferments
for irreplaceable workers whose
induction would hurt production.
THE COUNTERFEITING IN
DCSTRY used to deal with cur
rency. But under wartime ration
ing il has dropped this small stuff
and has gone into the big.tlmc
business of counterfeitius Saso-
line ration coupons.
Tho new occupation is so lucra-
tive that the underworld has jump
ed into it with both feet. Gangs
OF racketeers that formerly dealt
IN liauor. narcotics, spurious money
and other Illicit traffic have gone
into Il.
As result, about Is per cent OF
all gasoline ration coupons In cir
culation are counterfeit. In some
cities. like Baltimore. Md, the
ratio is as high as 10 per cent,
and it is even higher elsewhere.
The counterfeit coupons blanket
the eastern seaboard. southern
California. and parts OF the Mid
west. including Illinois and north
ern Indiana. They threaten the
existence OF the gasoline rationing
program.
Tho Office OF Price Administra-
ton has recruited a force OF spe-
cial agents to track down the
-Eacketeers.- and is making head
way in the fght. But IT needs
greater cooperation from the pub
lie. officials said.
The biggest contribution the pub
lie can make. it is explained, is 10
refuse TO buy gasoline without sur
rendering legal ration coupons.
Service station operators who sell
gasoline without receiving coupons
must buy counterfeit or stolen ones
from peddlars to cover up their
sales.
AS CONGRESS - through a
House special committee-investi-
gated the FEC by continuing to
question Chairman James L. Fly
observers expected a blow up of
personalities.
Fly. an easy-going executive with
broad powers over the nations
communications systems, has been
harrangued regularly and persist
entity by Republican members of
the committee no are determined
10 bring FEC irregularities into
the daylight
Prediction: With new expected
fare.ups will come the breaking
OF some top news stories and startl-
ing disclosures. Fly is determined
10 clear the good name Of FEC
and his critics are still determined
10 open wide the closet doors and
find a skeleton or two.
INTERIOR SECRETARY HAIR
OLD /. ICKES is cue for another
knock down and drag out" fight.
With $4,000 appropriation.
special Senate committee Is stack
ing its ammunition for pitched
battle against Honest Harold s.
Petroleum Reserves Corporation,
in general. and the governments
1.25O-mile oil pipeline in Saudi Ara
bia.
ALL NOW APPEARS TO be bear
and skittles" again between Ma
jority Leader Alben Barley, the
erstwhlle rebellious senator from
Kentucky, and President Roose-
welt.
The Dear Alben" OF other days
seems to he Dear Alben" again.
despite his revolt over the tax
veto message. his resignation as
majority leader. and his unanimous
reelection TO the key upper cham
Der post--a reelection which he ac-
copied thoughtfully.
Barkley's first visit to the White
House since his anti-veto speech
saw him emerge smiling from the
Executive Mansion.
ut was very PLEASANT confer
ence," Barley blinked at report
ers.
you wouldn't have known
there had been an incident-if
pyer thprp rae an incident