The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-06-25
Congress Speeds OPA Extension
 Price Controls
 On Meot, Poultry
 And Dairy Kept

AnU OouFy NePt
 washington, June 25-(UP - Congress rushed action today oI compromise price legislation whicl would extend OPA a full year am retain price controls on meat, p0ul try and dairy products.
 Senate-House conferees complet ed writing the bill shortly befor midnight. The House was expectel to vote on the conference report to day. The Senate planned to ac immediately afterwards.
 Congressional leaders expecte, quick passage to get the bill to tn, White House well before the pres ent price act expires at nlidnigh Sunday. Stabilization official found the compromise. plan unsatis factory, but the chances of a pres identia1 veto were uncertain. Sen ate Democratic Leader Alhen W Barkley, Ky, will recommend Sen ate approval of the bill.
 Decide To Keep Controls
 The conferees in a 3 Ia houI night session settled major differ ences in the Senate and House yer sions of the bill when they:
 1. Removed from the Senate
 passed bill provisions for lifting
 price controls on meat, live
 stock, dairy and poultry pro-
 duets, petroleum and tobacco;
 rejected the HOuse-passed pro-
 vision for removal of controls
 on commodities when produce
 tion reaches the 1941 level.
 2. Accepted Senate amend
 ments establishing a three-man
 board of decOntrOl to direct
 the lifting of wartime restric-
 ti0nS on all n0n-agricultural
 products. The board also has
 authority to restore price con-
 trols if prices rise too bigh.
 3. Extended the life of OPA { for one full year to June 90,
 1947, turning down the House
 provision for only nine-month
 extension.
 4. Compromised to extend
 the subsidy program only to
 April 1, 1947, with . fund Of
 1000, ,OO0, 900 for operation. The
 House had directed tho end of i,
 subsidies on Dec. S1. The Sem
 ate approved continuation OR
 the program to next May 1.
 Only sugar, copper, lead, zinc,
 housing and transportation sub-
 sflies will continue after April
 l. Metals payments may con-
 tinue until June 30; sugar until
 the end of 1947.
 5. Agreed to give distribut-
 ors, wholesalers and retailers
 their Jan. l, 194S percentage
 discounts and n1ark-ups over
 costs. This will eliminate any
 further requirement. for cost
 absorption. Consumers will pay
 the extras.
 Labels Bill Workable
 Barkley said the compromise plar was "the best we can expect under circumstances" He term. ed 1t "a fairly workable bill"
 The measure, however, still con. tained many features which hac drawn bitter denunciation from Stabilizer Chester Bowles His associates have said Bowles planned to resign if Congress passes unsatisfactory legislation. They noted, however, that the conferees what Bowles had crit. icized most-the mandatory decon- trol of meat, dairy and poultry pro- ducts.
 Previously, the conference ac. cepted Senate provisions transfer. ing from the OPA to the Secretary of Agriculture control over all food commodities. Under operation os this amendment, the OPA may moi continue to enforce price cdntrols on any food commodity unless the Agriculture Secretary certifies il as being in short supply.
 Also approved earlier was the Taft amendment granting manu- lecturers and producers their Oct Ills, 1941, prices plus subsequent cost increases.
 Out of the price control bill now are OPA's maximum average price plan for increasing production oi low-coSt clothing. Rent controls are left intact, but the way is paved for higher prices for meals in res- taurants and possibly higher hotel rates.
 Also retained in the bill were pro- visions for allowing manufacturer of cotton and wool textiles prices to compensate them for their recon- version costs and give them a pro- 1t equivalent to the average profit of the 1939-41 period.