The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1946-01-04
President Keeps
New Deal Policy

Even in the intimate surrounding
Of the White House will be found
several "hold-overs. notably schol.
srly william d. Hassett, a presiden.
tial secretary whose typewriter has
turned out many OF the lyrical
speeches delivered by the late Pres.
ident. and whose skill can be detect.
ed by Washington newsmen in Mr..
Humans more formal addresses.
J. A. Krug remained al the head
OF the War Production board until
Il went out Of existence. although
the new President was often critical
Of WPB when he was presiding
over the senate committee when
bore his name.
Almost every move made BY Mr.
Truman in organizing his Official
family had underlying II a record
OF Roosevelt association. There has
been only one notable discernible
departure from the administrative
status quo so far as fundamentals
John w. Snyder as chief Of the Of
fee Of war mobilization and recon
version. Snyder was a friend and
military buddy OF the President for
a quarter Of century. But Wash
ington hears that the OWMR direc-
tor Is being sidetracked. that the
President is taking counsel with
Secretary vinson on subjects that
rightly fall into Snyder's bailiwick
and that a resignation has been Of
tered.
There IS nothing in the Truman
appointments 10 indicate whether
the President Is turning to the right
or the left Of center-using FDR as
center" Mr.. Truman is franker
than most public figures and COM
mentators - he says he frankly
doesn't know what center" IS.
imaglnes he's about the same a.
his late chief.
Opinion is growing in the capital
that the government Is "reconvert
ing" too rapidly and that the force
Of speed without direction will have
harmful results.
Except for few generalized
thrusts, the White House has shown
no disposition to come TO grips with
the wage-price dilemma. hasn't at
tempted to develop a comprehensive
program 10 eliminate the element Of
chance, and, in the opinion OF crit
ical congressman, is simply trusting
that things somehow will work out
all right in the end II left to their
own devices.
There Is striking example Of the
haphazard system which has been
followed. and that Is the retention
Of OPA while permitting the Ma
tional War Labor board to 60 vir-
tually out Of existence. WLB exer-
cised a fair degree Of control over
wage and salary levels and with
wages the largest single Item OF
production costs. there IL today no
agency effectively operating In that
field. Both management and labor
agree the Presidents radioed
speech on the subject clarified al
most nothing. The result has been 10
cut the ground from beneath OPA in
its efforts 10 maintain price ceilings.
Another example Is the War Pro
duction board. which was permitted
10 20 out Of existence on Novem-
Der 3. Odds and ends fell 10 the
newly created Civilian Production
administration. but there is today no
raw materials ALLEGATION plan and
efforts are being made TO create out
Of export licensing a means by
which domestic industry might have
its needs fulfilled. The theory Is
that refusal OF export licenses for
needed civilian materials will back
those commodities onto the market
hsrs. But It's effort upon restora-