Evening star., 1946-04-19
0PA biII's 'sPath
Stony Even With
Senate Help
Compromise Still
Necessary If House
Action Is Tempered
BY the Asseeioted Press

BY the A.seeioted Press
Administration chiefs expressed
confidence today that the Senate
will treat OPA more gently than
the House did, but trouble was
stacking up for them just the
same.
Their guarded optimism was tenn
pered by the fact that even if the
Senate rolls up humping majority
for continued price control without
major changes, its decision will have
to be compromised with the contrary
action of the House on many key
provisions.
OPA Chief Porter claims the bill
the House passed yesterday will re-
quire elimination Immediately after
July l of price ceilings on at least SO
per cent of all commodities which
make up the cost of living.
On this list the price chief placed
such foods as meat, milk and all
other dairy products except butter.
Other Necessities Also.
High on it, too, were coal, shoes,
rayon and woolen textiles and many
clothing items made from these
fabrics.
Mr.. Porter, in a statement last
night, said also that the House bill
would "blow sky-high" the ceilings
on automobiles, radios, refrigerators
and most household appliances.
10 4f thn oIyyaiy,i cSra fynY1'S
cautious optimism in the midst OF
these imitation predictions was
sounded by Chairman Wagner Of
the Senate Banking Committee.
II am sure" Senator Wagner told
reporters, that my committee will
come out with a very sensible bill.
I think the Senate will be reflective,
thoughtful of the consequences"
Senator Wagner's committee Is
considering bill which as it stands
would extend price controls year
beyond June 80 without change.
House Measure Contrasts.
This contrasts with the House ac-
ton in voting nine-month exten-
sion without food subsidies and With
sections requiring ceiling prices uett
will guarantee reasonable profit4
to all manufacturers and distrib-
utors on every item handled.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
leading senatorial critic of OPA,
disputed the statement of Stabiliza-
ton Director Bowles that the House
measure is a start on "a joyride to-
ward economic disaster"
Senator Taft told reporters he sees
nothing particularly wrong with the
House version except that he thinks
subsidies now holding down retail
prices should be tapered of rather
than amputated.
Also, he said. manufacturers
ought to get a profit on everything
they manufacture, but he doubted
the wisdom Of guaranteeing a dis
tributor profit on every item he
handles. As an example, he said a
grocer should have an overall profit,
but not necessarily one on every sale.
Millikin Prefers Caution.
Another leading Republican, Sem
ator Millikin, Republican, of Colo
RADIO, viewed the profit-on-every-
item with a cautious eye. He told
reporters:
This thing of guaranteeing a
profit is big matter. An argument
might be made for a reasonable
opportunity to make a profit on
every item. I am going to take a
good long look at it myself"
Senator Ferguson, Republican, OF
Michigan said that if Congress
wants to kill OPA, it ought to do it
outright rather than by "the
strangulation process provided in
the House bill"
The administration leader, Sena-
tor Barkley, Democrat, of Kentucky
looked over OPA prospects in the
Senate and figured them to be at
least fair.
However. he will have to buck op-
position from within his own party.
Chairman Thomas of the Agricul-
,ure Committee yesterday introduced
an amendment which apparently
would take everything but rents out
from price control.
| Meanwhile, House members crossed
their fingers and headed homeward
for an Easter recess that could
change the picture of the ultimate
fate of both OPA and draft extern
sion legislation.
The American Veterans Commit
tee today urged the President to
veto any OPA bill with infationary
amendments and to call an emer-
gency conference of all veterans
groups to show the stake which
the veteran has in keeping down
prices.
/ In letter to Mr.. Truman, Chat
Paterson, AVG national legislative
representative, asked: What good
are disability pensions. business
loans, living allowances for educa-
ton, terminal leave pay and other
veterans preferences if the veteran
can't buy anything with the money
when he gets it?"
Donovan, Boxing Referee,
unId In kee,,I{ An Innor@or