Evening star., 1945-06-28
Food Program Faces
Breakdown, Taft Says;
As,aiIs 0PA Bill

ASS0lly VI II OIIl
Senator Taft, Republican, Of Obi
today charged that the administra
tion's whole food-control program
is in danger of the same breakdown
which took place under prohibition.
He made that statement in de
claring that the compromise OPP
bill agreed on in conference yester
day will not solve existing problems
including the meat situation.
The Ohio Senator argued tina
the added authority given to tn,
incoming Secretary of Agriculture
Representative Anderson of Ney
Mexico, by the compromise make
no substantial change in OPA poll
cies. He said it somewhat increases
the prestige of the Secretary O
Agriculture, "but falls far short O
any unihcation of governmental
powers over food in the hands O.
the Secretary"
OPA FUNDS Approved.
Meanwhile, 1864, ,494, ,236 de.
ficiency supply bill containing STA.
100000 for the OPA for the 1916
fiscal year was passed today by the
House and sent to the Senate. Pas
sage was by roll-call vote Of 3l7
to a.
The OPA fund was the amount
recommended by the House Appro-
priations Committee and 5000, 900
less than budget estimates.
The major part of the funds,
$2,475 100000, was earmarked for
operation of the lease-lend pro-
gram for the II months starting
July /.
Taft's Statement.
AS both houses awaited an op-
portunity to take up the compro-
mise extension bill, Senator Taft
issued the following statement:
"As long as all considerations of
production and Of justice to individ-
ual businessmen are subjected to the
insistence that retail prices must
remain completely frozen in theory,
in spite of increases in wages and
many raw materials. there is little
hope for improvement, and black
market operations will continue to
grow.
"I am sorry Congress did not
make any substantial changes in
the act. But the Presidents powers
under the act are broad enough to
change the present policy and effect
a complete reform in present meth
DDS. I hope he may do so. The
adoption of so, many amendments
by the House of Representatives
was certainly note of lack of con-
fidence in Mr. Bowles (OPA Admin
istrator Chester Bowles)."
Real Test Ahead in House.
The conference report, extending
the Price Control Act for one year
from July l. comes up in the Senate
first, and that body is expected to
approve it. It will face its real test,
however, in the House, where 48
Democrats joined the Republicans
last week in adopting the amend
ment designed to make Mr.. Ander-
son the arbiter of food problems.
In original form this amendment
declared that, Notwithstanding any
other law or executive order, the
Secretary of Agriculture would have
to give his written approval to all
orders affecting the prices of farm
commodities. including livestock. It
afso pr0vfded that existing price n >
ders would expire uiiless he ap-
proved them IN writing within 80
days. a ...@,
The ~eanferees narFoWed-~s.tlae
amendment down by making certain
he could not set aside a presiden-
tial executive order and by elm
mating the retroactive requirement
that he approve all existing price
orders within 80 days.
Room for Argument.
The compromise, however, left
room for argument among men,
bers as to whether Director of Eco
nomic Sterilization William H. Da-
Wis could exercise any control over
the Secretary of Agriculture on food
prices.
Mr.. Davis has the overall job of
holding the line against imitation
on all fronts and one side in the
congressional controversy argues
that if he has no supervision over
farm prices his overall control
would no longer be effective.
1t Was learned that at one point |
In the negotiations the conferees
had in the compromise a proviso
that in case of a difference between
Price Administrator Bowles and Mr..
Anderson, Mr.. Davis would decide
he issue, but this was stricken out
before the conferees agreed.
Importance Is Minimized.
Some members minimize the i'm
portance of the question by point
Ing out that since executive orders
are protected from change in the
new setup, and since Mr.. Davis acts
for the President in holding the
line, the President has the power
to settle any dispute over price pol
icy among his subordinates.
The effect of the compromise is
that Mr. Anderson will have to
approve in writing any future or
ders affecting the wholesale prices
of farm commodities, including live
stock. at the processing level.
No change is made in OPA con-
troll over rationing or the fixing of
retail price ceilings on the corner
grocery, except as these prices may
be affected indirectly by changes
outlined above in processing cell
ings.
Accept Patman Amendment.
The conferees accepted, with slight
changes. the Patman amendment,
designed to improve the meat sit
uation, by clearing the way for fuller
use of -Federally inspected small
slaughterhouses. The amendment
prohibits the placing of quota re-
strictions on any slaughterhouse II
the Secretary of Agriculture certifies
that it is clean and sanitary.