Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-26
Conferees Fail 10 Act
On House Changes in
0PA Extension Bill
Wagner Is Hopeful Of
Settling Differences
At Session at ; PM.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

4
failed to reach any agreements
on the major House changes in
the price control bill during a
two-hour session today, but ar
ranged to resume negotiations
at 3 pm.
Although Chairman Wagner of
the Senate conferees was hopeful
of settling differences this after
noon, some other conferees indi-
Gated it might take longer.
Chief points of controversy are
amendments opening up all Federal
district courts to compliments
against OPA regulations and dele
eating broad power over all other
Federal agencies in fixing food
policy to the new Secretary of
Agriculture, Representative Ander-
son of New Mexico.
While the conferees deliberated,
the House approached a separate
decision on how much money OPA
should have to enforce its ration
rules on all products. In reporting
out general deficiency bill yester-
day, the House Appropriations Com
mittee cut the OPA budget estimate
by 100000, bringing it down to
$174,500, 900.
Acceptance Indicated.
Although administration spokes-
men opposed the House amendment
Saturday to make Mr.. Anderson
food car, by requiring all other
agencies to get his written approval
on policies affecting food. they ap-
pear ready to accept it with some
notifications in conference.
| In this connection Senator Thomas,
Democrat, of Oklahoma predicted
today that the meat situation will
show marked improvement" with
in 60 days if Congress approves the
amendment giving Mr.. Anderson
overall control.
! Administration leaders see no great
danger in giving the new Agriculture
Secretary and war food administra-
tor veto power over the actions of
OPA, but they are disturbed over
empowering him to override the
Office of Economic Stabilize ton.
They argue that OES has the re-
sponsibility of holding the line
against imitation and they fear that
if some other officials could regu-
late food prices separately, the line
might break.
Turn DnsuA~
Practical students of government
point out, however, that since Mr..
Anderson has just been picked by
President Truman, he is not likely
to adopt any food policies contrary
to the White House program.
The chief concern Of the admin
1Stration leaders is to have the con-
ferees eliminate these two amend
fhents:
BY Representative Dirksen, Re-
publican, of Illinois, opening up all
Federal district courts to hear COM
lplaints against OPA regulations,
which now are centralized in an
emergency court of appeals.
New Profit Yardstick.
BY Senator Wherry, Republican,
Of Nebraska, to established a new
profit yardstick for farmers. It
would forbid OPA to establish CELL
ings on agricultural production
which fails to allow the farmer a
reasonable profit above all operat-
ing expenses.
Senator Thomas who led an I'M
successful fight in the Senate for an
alternative plan to allow food pro-
cessors reasonable profits, said he
is supporting the House amendment
to give Mr.. Anderson overall food
control, but would join administra-
ton forces in opposing the new
method of court review. The war
is so far advanced, he said, that it
would not be advisable to interfere
with the special court procedure set
up for OPA.
An agreement must be reached
by Saturday, when the OPA law
expires