Evening star., 1946-06-24
'Save0PA' Units
.DriveonCapito|
.AsCriisiis Nears
Delegations Urge
Congress Members
To Back Price Law
by the Associoted Press


Delegations representing house
wives and labor groups con-
verged on Capitol Hill today de-
manding: "Save OPA."
With the future of the agency
about to be decided the visitors but
tonholed Senators and House men,
bers to plead for continuation of
the present price control law. They
called on members at their offices
and stopped them in the halls.
Senator Taylor, Democrat, of
Idaho, said the march on Washing
ton in behalf of OPA was organized
by various labor groups and citizens
committees. They assembled here
from cities in the East and Midwest,
he said.
Conferees to Meet Tonight.
With Senate and House conferees
meeting at o'clock tonight in a
final effort to compose differences
over the price control bill, the key
to the dispute is whether House
members of the joint committee will
accept Senate amendments lifting
cein\gs on meat, poultry, dairy
prodEcts, petroleum and tobacco at
the. end of this month.
House conferees have taken the
attitude that there is no need to
single out specific commodities for
special treatment in view of the
general decontrol policy already
agreed to. This policy provides, in
genera for the removal of price
maxir inns as soon as a commodity
exceeds or balances the demand
for it.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
predicted after a Senate Republican
conference that Senate-H House COM
mite members will reach a Show
down tonight.
Wherry Renews Proposal.
Senator Wherry, Republican, of
Nebraska, sought support of the
Republicans at their party confer
ence for a Senate-approved amend
ment permitting distributors and
retailers to pass along to customers
the cost increase which they have
absorbed since 1941.
Senator Wherry contended that
q House amendment tentatively ap-
proved by conferees would permit
distributors and retailers to pass on
only future cost increases.
Senator Taft said that while there
is strong backing for Senator
Wherrys proposal, he did not know
if the: subject successfully could be
reopened before the joint committee.
Representative Walcott, Repub-
1ican, of Michigan, a conferee, pre-
dicted that some final form Of price
legislation would be ready by pm.
for submission to both houses to-
morrow.
May Ask Instructions.
II deadlock develops on any of
the four provisions which remain
in dispute, the lawmaker said the
decision may be checked directly toI
the House and Senate, by reporting
disagreement and asking for in
structions.
The. committee has no time to
waste, for OPA expires Sunday mid
night unless the extension bill is
enacted.
Il am very optimistic we can
come to an agreement within an
hour" Mr.. Wolcott told a reporter.
Every member should have made
up his mind on the remaining prob
lens by the time he enters the
conference room"
Two reasons lay behind the un-
usual night session. Some of the
conferees wanted time to consult
with colleagues who are not mem
bers of the committee. In addition,
the Barking Committee from which
the Ho5se conferees were picked
had a date to confer with the Rules
Committee on procedure for calling
up the British loan bill in the House.
No Chance to Amend.
II an OPA measure is agreed on
tonight, the House can take it to-
morrow. There will be no oppor-
tunity to amend it: the House must
either vote it up or down or send
the conterees back with instructions
to yield or hold out on controverted
points.
After the House acts, the bill goes
10 the Senate, where there is always
the chance of time-consuming fill |
buster. 1t was learned that the pos
sibility OF such a development was
discussed in the conference sessions.
The house members cite the Taft
Wolcott amendment as another ar
gument why specific decontrols are
not needed. That amendment, ap-