Evening star., 1946-12-12
Fleming Heads
Unit toLiquiddfe
War Controls
New Office Is Set Up
To Wind Up oPA,
3 Other Agencies
By joseph A. Fox

PTeSlQent truman tOday re-
aligned wartime emergency
agencies on a peacetime basis
under a new setup, creating an
Office of Temporary Controls,
headed by Maj. Gen. Philip B.
Fleming, the Federal Works
administrator.
Mr.. Truman told his news con-
ference that the Office of Temporary
Controls will absorb-with some ex-
ceptions-the remaining functions Of
the Office of War Mobilization and
Reconyersion, the. Ofice of Economic
Sterilization, the ONCE of Price
Administration and the Civilian
Production Administration.
John r. Steelman, reconversion
director, once more becomes an as
sistant to the President, but also
will continue his present duties since
certain OWMR functions pass to the
Presidents office. Other OWMR
duties go to Commerce, Treasury.
Federal Trade Commission and
the Office of Government Reports,
winch Is pelng recreateQ.
This executive order providing the
rearrangement abolished as of next
February "a the National Wage
Sterilization Board, splitting its
functions between Labor and Treas
ury Departments.
Fleming to Keep FWA Post.
Gen. Fleming will continue as
FWA head, the President said.
The Economic Sterilization Board
is abolished Immediately.
In a statement announcing tho
executive order, the President said:
''The Office of Temporary Con-
trolls will be responsible for carry
ing out the continuing responsible
ties of the OPA and the CPA, and
certain activities of the OWMR. The
priority powers under which the
CPA operates will expire March 81,
except for building materials unless
extended by Congress. The principal
OPA programs which continue by
law are sugar rationing and rent
control. The functions of the Office
of Economic Sterilization already
have been largely terminated as q
result of decontrol Of prices and
wages and elimination of most items
from rationing.
The consolidation will result In
economies in operation, and in q
more rapid liquidation of personnel.
property, records, ETC., which are no
longer needed for current pro-
grams"
/ New Agency Temporary.
/ The statute under which OWMR
operates expires June 80, 1947, Mr..
Truman pointed out, adding that
until that date most residual func-
tfons win be carried on by the Once
of Temporary Controls. The
oWMR Advisory Board viii be con-
tinued for some time.
The President told questioners
that he was not certain yet what
the revamping would mean in the
way of savings on dollar and
cents basis, but that those figures
would be given out later.
Mr.. Truman also said that he
hoped to do away with the Office Of
Temporary Controls as soon as pos
sible, re-emphasizing that it was
his policy to free the country of
wartime restrictions without undue
delay.
The President pointed out in the
same connection that had it not
been for the series of strikes, he
could have declared the war termi-
mated and ended wartime controls
before now.
designations Clear Way.
The creation of new overall
liquidating agency for dying war
agencies was forecast by the Pres
ident when he took off rent and
price ceilings last month.
The way actually was paved for
setting up the agency by the resig-
nation of Paul Porter as OPA head
and John D. Small as Civilian Pro-
duction Administrator.
In recreating the Office of Gov
ernment Reports, the President pro-
vided that it should take over the
functions of the media programing
division and the motion picture di-
vision ofthe Office of War Mobiliza-
ton and Reconversion and func-
tions which earlier were transferred
to the Budget Bureau from the Of
flee of War Information.
Steelman's Duties Outlined.
The Treasury Department will
take over the functions of the Of
flee of Contract Settlement hereto
fore exercised by OWMR and the
functions of the Financial Reporting
division of OPA go to the Federal
Trade Commission.
The Commerce Department takes
over OWMR functions which in
cluded declassification, release and
publication of technical, scientific
and industrial information which
had been classed as secret, conf
dental or restricted.
The Office of the President takes
over OWMR studies on scientific
research and development.
In announcing Mr.. Steelman's
new status, Mr.. Truman said he
would continue to aid in co-or-
dinating Federal agency programs
and policies and would also con-
tinue to serve as liaison be-
tween the executive agencies and
the Presidents Commission on
Higher Education and as chairman
Of the Presidents Scientific Re-
search Board. Mr.. Steelman was a
special assistant to the President
before becoming recopversion de
rector.