Evening star., 1946-02-15
Porter Takes 0PA Job
As Agency Wins First
House Victory Of Year
BY the Assoeio,sd Press

A big, genial man from Ken
lucky took over the Office OF
Price Administration today and
found himself greeted with en-
couraging tidings from Capitol
Hill.
The new boss is 6-foot-4 Paul
Porter whom President Truman
drafted temporarily from his lob as
chairman of the Federal Com
munications Commission to head the
much-attacked OPA.
The good news awaiting him is
that, OPA has just won its first
House victory of 1946-an achieve
ment OPA's legislative hackers in
terpreted as heralding an ultimate
vote to continue OPA beyond the
June 80 limit fixed by existing law.
The victory was an important
test OF strength, for it involved a
strong Republican drive to refuse
OPA an additional $1,854 900 this
fiscal year, largely to finance an
enforcement blitz on black markets.
The COP drive failed and the House
voted the funds late yesterday.
Mr.. Porter is no stranger to the
woes and headaches of price con-
troll. He served as deputy OPA ad-
mlnistrator in charge of enforcing
rent ceilings in 1923. And he got
another slant on the problem as
deputy director of the Office of Eco
nonic Sterilization under Fred M.
Vinson from August, 1943, to Febru-
ary, 1914.
The new OPA chieftain long has
made no secret of the fact that he
believes the general price level
should be held firmly in check, so
the Capital expected he would hew
close to the policies laid down by
his predecessor, Chester A. Bowles.
Extensive Bill Pending.
Strictly speaking, the 41-year -old
Porter is only sure of his new job
for about 20 weeks, but legislation
to extend OPA's life beyond June
80 now is pending in the House
Banking Committee and should be
ready for the floor soon.
It was with their eyes on this
extension bill that OPA hackers
hailed yesterdays vote granting the
agency additional funds. The ap-
preparation was contained In a $3,-
$4,000 deficiency measure which
was approved and forwarded to the
Senate for action.
Republicans tried to cut out the
entire OPA allotment, but they
failed by a roll-can vote of 185 to
108, with only three Democrats sup
porting the proposed reduction.
In taking over OPA, Mr.. Porter
in effect is on leave from his FEC
job, for he has arranged with the
President to have it held open for
him. In his absence, Charles r.
Denny, jr., has been designated to
serve as FCC's acting chairman. Mr..
Denny is a member of the COM
mission.
Named by Roosevelt.
The late President Roosevelt re-
warded Mr.. Porter with the COM
munications post in November, 1914,
for his work in running the publicity
end of the Roosevelt fourth-term
drive. The FEC job was to fill the
unexpired seven-ycar term of James
L. Fly running until 1949.
A native of Joplin, Mo-, Mr.. Porter
received his education in Kentucky.
While still studying law at the Uni
versity he became city editor of the
Lexington Ky0 Herald. Later he
became counsel for a string of Okla
homa and Southern newspapers.
Henry A. Wallace, while Secretary
OF Agriculture, was attracted by an
editorialkMr. Porter had written for
the La Grange (Ga) News and
brought him to Washington in the
early days of the New Deal. Mr..
Porter moved from special assistant
to MIR. Wallace to executive assist
ant in the Agriculture Adjustment
Administration, where he set up an
extensive publicity staff.
He served in the Agriculture De-
partment until 1897 when he became
Washington attorney for the Co.
lumbia Broadcasting System He
came back to the Government in
1910 as assistant to Chester C. Davis
in organization of the war food pro-
gram.