Detroit evening times., 1945-06-16

stopped while there is A short
age Of goods else there will be
initiation.
pUT there was more behind
ID the Senate vote than logic.
! understand a deal was made
for a thorough housekeeping
which VIII amount TO an OPA
reorganization. Indeed. il is
not impossible that Director
BowleS himself may go. al
though the congressional COM
plants are not personally di-
rected against him. but rather
against the SubStrata Of what
the congressman call "theor-
lists, who really do the techni-
cal OPA work in lower level
positions.
This crowd clings 10 its ideas
Of RECOMMENDATION and restric-
tionS of sound business practices
while black markets flourish.
The ousting of at least some Of
these is already planned. In
fact. a few hours before the
vote, New York RegionalAd-
ministrator Woolley promised
shakeup in his much criticized
office VERY soon. -
DATHER surprisingly, tn e
IL senator's critical of OPA
are privately expressing new
admiration for j. A. Krug. the
supposedly New Deal chairman
of the WPB- Businessmen have
reported confidence in him, and
say he has Sounder ideas than
any other official in the gov
-ernment management despite
has heritage.
This may be due 10 Mr..
Krug'S advocacy Of with
drawal of controls in order 70
speed up reconversion. 1t would
not he surprising if Mr. krug
wound up on top Of the heap.
These conSidera tions are
probably what caused such
ardent anti-OPA fans as Sena
tors George and La Toilette TO
vote in favor Of the Barkley
compromise amendment which
secured sufficient prestige 10
put the continuance bill through
the Senate. The progressive
La Toilette and the more con-
servative George see Just about
eye 10 eye on the defects in
OPA so there cannot be much
doubt about their glaring va
iidity.
Price uncertainty and regula
tionS unquestionably have
caused a general reluctance OF
business TO convert to peace
time goods. While the OPA has
laid down a general formula for
reconverSion prices tbaSed on
1922 there are confused eX-
ceptions.
ERUG apparently believes
IA 'OPA mismanagement could
cause Unemployment in the re-
conversion era, if continued
without change. Now both
Bowles and his head OF pricing,
Brownlee, are businessmen (but
not of like views with krug,
George or La Follette) and
whether their reorganization
will be able TO re-eStablish con-
fidence of business in OPA
management Is still an open
question in the majority sena-
torial mind.
Certainly every discernible
prospect. suggests relaxing OF
| OPA restrictions and establish
ment OF more cooperative at
titude. coupled with more ef-
fectiVe action against black
markets
The continuance bill now
must pass the House where no
haste is visible, although OPA's
powers expire June 30 Hear
ingS were begun there only after
the Senate passed the bill
However, If the admlnlStra-
ton handlers are able to con-
vince the representatives as
they did the senators. that a
better day IS coming in OPA,
there may not be much trouble.
THE House is generally de-
Il pended upon TO eliminate
the disturbing farm bloc amend
ment which the Senate tackled
on at the last minute, establish
ing a cost plus formula for
farmers and meat packers. The
Senate was half asleep when
/ the amendment was passed ac-
cording TO the administration
leaders, who feel sure they can
get II out of the Bit
There is thus a good chance
! the -OPA VIII squeeze through
with It's private promise TO be
better.
HouSecleaning has been a
task beyond the ability of any
\ nj gem mt so far. The
THEORISTS" trouped in with
Leon Henderson and have clung
fervently 10 their position
~ 1t must therefore he reported
Congress is reluctantly moving
y so renew OPA's lease on life
/ because II can think of nothing
better 10 do-and ] think many
a congressional finger IS crossed.
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