The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-08-07
Observations
Pan American
Road Bungled
Says Senator

about the Pan-American highway
for long time.
Tenacious Senator Edward V.
Robertson (R) OF Wyoming, is con
WINGED that the Army Engineer
Corps was lax there in its dealings
with contractors and allowed itself
to be charged exhorbitant rates
on machinery rentals.
Eyeing the vast amount OF other
work the Army engineers handle.
both in war and peace-such as
river and harbor projects-Robert'
son thinks that charging them with
some inefficiency on the Pan-Amer-
lean Job might save the American
taxpayer a lot OF money in future
years.
1t would. he believes, serve 10
make the engineers more than ever
wary Of deals that might look bad
under congressional scrutiny.
So Robertson plans to follow
through and see that the inquiry
doesn'I get sidetracked. Not that
there seems to be any danger Of
that. the hard-working Mead War
Investigating Committee seems just
rs determined TO get at the ques-
ton as Robertson is.
THE AVERAGE PERSON does
not realize 1t yet. but Americas
transportation system at home will
be in a mess for many months after
Japan is defeated.
Then there will be millions OF
workers leaving war factory areas
on both coasts who will be looking
for new jobs or heading back to
their old home towns and farms.
In fact, the shifting population
already has begun TO be felt in
some areas. where cutbacks have
caused widespread unemployment
In other sections there still is a
shortage OF labor.
The situation will be eased some
what after the japanese war when
more gasoline is available for
civilian driving. although many
cars are not in condition for long
trips
At any rate. there is little chance
Of real pleasure riding on railroads
or airiines for many months after
the end Of the war
SECRETARY OF AGRICUL-
TURE Clinton P. Anderson, the ma
tons food boss, was the guest at
Q dinner in Washington recently,
and the hosts were reporters as
signed to cover the food front.
Anderson has heard plenty about
the meat shortage since he took
office-but he dined on steaks at
that particular dinner in a Wash
ington restaurant
And reporters who planned the
AFFAIR insisted they were not black
market steaks. Anderson said 1t
was one of the best meals he has
had in some time. (By the way,
where is that restaurant, Edo
PRESIDENT TRUMAN PROB
ABLY DOESN'T KNOW It yet, but
one OF the tasks that will con-
front him soon is the fixing OF fees
charged by fortune tellers in the
Panama Canal Zone.
Carolina. is the source Of that inter
esting bit OF information. And he
has been so perturbed about It he
has introduced a bill which would
authorize the Chief Executive to
delegate such tasks TO someone
else.
Erwin pointed out that the late
President Roosevelt's last day was
taken up with signing postmasters'
appointments and he contends
such minor details constitute a
strain upon the Presidents health
SENATOR WAYNE L. MORSE
(R) of Oregon. fears that Demo
cratic government is being threat.
ened by the war trend 10 do every
thing by executive order.
Morse thinks IL the trend con-
tinues. Congress will be reduced to
body having no important func-
ton except the appropriation Of
funds.
He wants special congressional
committees named to keep an eye
on the doings of executive agencies
as part OF a program TO streamline
and improve the functioning OF the
legislative branch.
PRELIMINARY RET URN
FROM THE 1e45 agriculture cen.
sus show that the average size OF
farms has increased 9.s per cent
since 1910. Five years ago the
average United States farm was
1871 acres. Now It is 1901.