Evening star., 1946-10-27
I0PA Utility Counsel
Resigns, Forecasting
End Of Intervention
BY Sterling T. Green

Associated Press 6L&u WTlteI
The end of OPA's Intervention IN
electric, gas, telephone, streetcar and
other utility rate cases was FORE
shadoWed last night In the resigna-
ton of Harry r. Booth. OPA utilities
counsel and chief OF the public
utilities branch.
Mr.. Booth told a reporter that
with OPA decontrolling 80 per cent
Of all foods, it Is impossible to con-
tend seriously that stabilization
problem now exists in the utilities
industries"
Existing agencies can handle the
Job of holding utility rate increases
to reasonable levels, Mr.. Booth said,
especially since the price level IN
the utility industry Is now below
what it was in 1941."
/ OPA had no official comment but
one aide said there was "likely to be
less and less intervention" from the
price agency to oppose increases
sought by utility companies.
Statutes Cited.
The fast-moving decontrol pro-
gram, Mr.. Booth said. cuts the
ground from under the former con-
tention made by OPA in these cases
that the stabilization program would
be impaired if increases in rates
were made"
Under nearly all State and Fed
eral statutes, utility charges cannot
be increased without a finding that
the proposed charges would be rea-
sonable," he added. These stand
ards will certainly make for no more
rate increases than the standards
underlying existing price legislation" :"
OPA never had power to veto rate
but companies seeking to
charge higher rates we're required to
furnish 30 days notice and give OPA
an opportunity to intervene If the
agency felt the new rates would up
set the anti-inf1ation program. Mr..
Booths branch has taken part since
1912 in the more important rate in
crease cases over the country.
Charge Less Than In 1941.
Despite increases in streetcar and
bus fares, in which labor cost figures
largely, the utility industry is vir-
tually the only one now charging less
on the average than In 1941, Mr..
Booth said. Electric and gas rates
have dropped about 5 per cent, he
added, and telephone rates would be
lower except for the heavy Federal
tax
Mr.. Booth was attorney for the
Illinois Commerce Commission and
an assistant attorney general for
that State. Later he became chief
rate secretary for the Federal Com
munications Commission. He was
brought into OPA by former Ad-
miflistrator Leon Henderson. and
now plans to practice law In
Washington.
Meanwhile, an OPA spokesman
said Administrator Porter might
discontinue his regular Saturday
morning broadcasts to housewives.
Mr.. Porter did not 60 on the air
yesterday.
- STAFF Reduction.
Decision on resuming the radio
talks will depend. the spokesman
said, on how much price control is
left after the decontrol OF nonfood
items scheduled by November !.
The scope of the November de-
controls also will determine how
rapidly OPA will reduce its stan Of
"a o0o-vhich is 1000 larger than In
March. OPA was hiring rapidly
until this month, to handle the ex-
panded meat, housing and rent con-
troll enforcement programs. When
White House policy on meat and
ether price control shifted suddenly,
The agency found itself going IN the
wrong direction.
The enfor ren,ent pay.olis were
Cit by 400 b. the ending Of meat
ceilings, q spokesman said, but
where possible the employees were
shifted into vacancies in other units
of Opt.