Evening star., 1946-03-10

Bloc Organizes
In Control Bid
House Group to Seek
Cut in OPA Power;
Senate May Follow
BY the Assoeioied Pres,


A large group of Republicans
and Southern Democrats teamed
up yesterday in an organized bid
for control of Congress.
Their leaders disclosed formation
in the House of an informal To-
member committee to recommend
a course of action They said SIM
liar organization is planned in the
Senate.
Their immediate goal is to whittle
down the powers of OPA, but the
political and legislative potentiali-
ties are much broader.
The committee has been in
structed to draft substitute for
pending legislation continuing the
agency beyond its June 80 expira-
ton date. If the OPA drive sue
ceeds, many of the group plan to
extend their joint activities to other
fields, and gradually assume the
drivers seat on nearly all important
legislation.
Coalition Has Functioned>
Actually a COP Southern Demo-
cratic coalition has been function
ing for some years and frequently
it has been the deciding factor on
major issues.
Many of the group teamed up, for
instance, in recent passage by the
House of the strike control bill by
Representative Case, Republican, of
South Dakota. and in diluting the
administration emergency housing
measure.
But in the past, the coalition al
ways has been a loosely-knit group
with no specific leaders or organiza-
ton Largely, the members just
voted alike because they thought
alike.
OPA Spurred Action.
Representative Hartley, Republi-
Can. of New Jersey, chairman of the
newly named House committee, said
the decision to organize was reached
because "the whole question of sue
cessful reconversion depends on the
OPA legislation.
He told a reporter that at least
$50 legislators are united behind the
committee, with the membership
split about evenly between Demo-
Gratis and Republicans Approx
mately 100 of the group met last
Wednesday and authorized forma-
ton of the committee, but no inn
mediate disclosure was made of its
plans. ...-...
Mr.. Hartley announced appoint
ment of the following to serve with
him:
Representative Barden, Demo-
crat, of North Carolina; Camp and
Pace, Democrats, of Georgia: Roe.
Democrat, of Maryland; Howard
Smith. Democrat, of Virginia; Jen-
kins, Republican. of Ohio; Crawford,
Republican, of Michigan; Buffet,
Republican, of Nebraska and Sund-
strom, Republican, of New Jersey.
He said he may expand the group
later.
Senate Plan Reported.
Mr.. Roe said in an interview that
the bipartisan group is needed in
order to insure preservation of our
way of life" He declared
attempts are being made to impose
socialism or government controlled
bureaucracy on the Nation.
Mr.. Hartley told a reporter that
Senators Wherry, Republican, of
Nebraska, Stewart, Democrat, OF
Tennessee, and Bankhead, Demo-
crat, of Alabama. contemplate a
similar coalition movement in the
Senate.
Legislation introduced by Mr..
Hartley, and Senators Wherry and
Stewart will be the working model
for the commission in its campaign
to modify OPA's authority.
Would Alter OPA.
The measures would allow con-
tinuance of the agency for a year
beyond its June 30th expiration date,
but would specify:
Control must be used in a manner
designed to stimulate, secure and
maintain maximum production.
No maximum prices must be set
which reduce trade discounts or
percentage markup below the aver
age of the period 1914.
No orders must be enforced which
set maximum prices requiring abb
sorption by the seller of lawful in
creases in cost of production, pro-
cessing or distributing.
No maximum must be set below
a price which would give producers
and handlers percentage profit per
unit, based on current cost, equal
to that earned during the period
1874.
Former House Members