Evening star., 1945-07-31
EIIender Walks Out
OF Senate Hearing in
Quarrel With Wherry
Stalks OFF Floor When
Question on Sale Of
Butter for Soop Is Cut
BY the Associated Press.

Senator Ellender, Democrat, of
Louisiana walked out of a SEN
ate committee hearing today
after Acting Chairman Wherry
cut off a question he put to a
witness.
The f1areup occurred in the Small
Business Committee as Senator
Wherry sought to learn from a
War Food official, DR.. D. A. Fitz-
gerald, if it were true that large
quantities of stored butter had been
sold to soap factories.
Senator Ellender interjected at
this point to say:
That is important; I hope the
press gets this point"
Ignoring the remark, Senator
Wherry asked DR.. Fitzgerald If he
knew the supposed sale to be true
DR.. Fitzgerald told the commit
tee that he could not answer with
out investigating the circumstances
Question Interrupted.
Henry G. Van Veen, attached to
the OPA's general counsel staff,
volunteered that reports of all such
previous sales had proved to be
without foundation.
Senator Wherry said that it had
been reported to him that $4,000 to
10000 pounds of the stored butter
had been sold to two soap factories.
Senator Ellender then sought to
ask DR.. Fitzgerald a question. 7
don't see why -" he began.
Senator Wherry turned to his COL
league and declared:
Listen, I'm running this hearing
and intend to do it my way. I'm
going to do as Jim Murray .(the
committee chairman) wants me to
do"
Senator Ellender. his face flushed
with anger, leaped to his feet and
said:
I'm getting out; you can run this
hearing as you like"
Senator Wherry, without a glance
at the departing Senator Enehder,
resumed his questioning of Dr.
Fitzgerald as to the amount of
butter the Army has in storage.
The witness termed it normal, in
view of requirements and said the
Army had advised VIA that some
cutbacks in the supply may be pos
sible.
The committee also is inquiring
into how soldiers and sailors moving
across the continent to the Pacific
war by the thousands are going to
be fed.
Admiral, General Called.
To supply the answers, the Sem
ate committee also planned TO
call in Rear Admiral w. j. Carter
of the Nays Bureau of Supplies
and Maj. Gen. C. A. Hardrigg of
the Army Quartermaster Generals S
office.
The question already had come
up incidentally in hearings by the
group on complaints from some res
taurants that they do not get
enough red points.
Leon Bosch, associate director of
OPA's Food Rationing Division, said
OPA officials have been conferring
with the Army and other agencies
on food problems connected with
the troop redeployment.
Mr.. Bosch told reporters after yes
terday's committee hearing that one
problem OPA has in mind is the
ration matter that would arise If a
troop train stopped in small COM
munity for an hour and a half OF
so and the troops ate practically
everything the local restaurants had
From Max Mccullough, deputy
OPA administrator in charge OF ra-
tioning, the committee heard q
stout defense Of OPA's 20 per cent
cut, effective July l, in red point al.
locations to restaurants.
Mr.. Mccullough said that ever
with the cut most restaurants coulc
buy. Is per cent more meats ano
fats for each customer than the
house wife can buy for each mem.
Der of her family.
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