The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-03-15
Observations
Congress Not
Likely to Use
Auction Sales

Capitol Hin is expected 10 turn
thumbs down on government auc-
tions as a means OF disposing Of the
huge surplus property which will be
LEFT over after the war This sur
plus will include everything from
soup TO battleships and it is esti-
mated that the vast stocks Of goods
viii be worth Up 10 200 billion dol
lars
A senate committee has been
looking into the auction method OF
selling some OF the materials which
already have been declared surplus,
and. according to members. the
committee does not like what IL
has found
star witness a. the hearings was
Jacob Goldberg OF New York, who
said he was the best auCtioneer
ia the country Senator James D.
Mead lD) 81 New York, committee
chairman. expressed amazement at
what he said looked like "irregular-
ties and what Goldberg said was
customary at auctions
The irregularities which Mead
protested included a practice Of
professional auction buyers OF rig
gug The show and controlling the
prices.
Consequently. the committee is
expected TO recommend against
genera, use OF auctions although
II probably will. endorse letting
farm machinery 90 on sale in that
manner. in view o. the success OF
some farm auctions
The committee also is expected
70 demand that central clearing
house he established so that one
branch OF The government will not
be selling as surplus the same ma
terials which another branch is
frant;cally seeking TO purchase.
WPB SOURCES FREELY PRE-
DICT that the quality OF civilian
shoes will get worse before il i'm
proves Reason a growing leather
shortage coupled with tremendous
demands for footwear from the
armed forces.
Nearly all top.grade leather has
already been taken by the military
FOR heavy boots, shoes and other
items Current stocks OF civilian
shoes have lower.grade leather
soies and uppers than in pre-war
days And this decline is due 10
become progressively worse.
DON'T BE SURPRISED II civil
ian meat shortages reach famine
proportions by midsummer
This is the gloomy picture paint
ed by War Food Administration OF.
fcials WA underscored its dire
predictions by increasing from 50
10 20 per cent all utility beef set
aside for the armed forces.
The collapse OF Germany may
possibly change the picture, but
from the way It looks now a juicy
steak will really be scarcity this
summer.
IT NOW DEVELOPS that neigh
borhood bars. tap-rooms and sa-
looms were one OF the CHIEF obiec-
tiyes in War MObilizer James =.
Byrnes midnight curfew order on
amusement places
Behind the Byrnes' request"
was his frank concern over absen-
teeism in war plants This same
reason prompted issuance OF the F.
ban on all racing
Despite its widely publiciSd ef-
feet on metropolitan night clubs,
the order is hitting the bars just
around the corner with a greater .
impact than the Stork Club.
ORATORY OF SENATOR HAIR.
Ian J. BUSHFTELD (R) Of South
Dakota does not measure up 10 the
attractions OF Screen Charmer
Lana Turner in the opinion OF the
senator's colleagues.
This was evidenced when Lana
lunched az the capitol with Vice
President Harry S. Truman. Adm
William T. Halsey and a group Of
senators who declined 10 tear them.
selves away from the luncheon
party TO hear a speech BY Bush.
field on foreign policy.