Evening star., 1946-06-29
Text of Trumon1s Message Vetoinq Extension of OPA

and trade relations is still unsettled.
Because of our position and influ-
ence in world trade and finance,
imitation and collapse in this country
would shake the entire world.
In short, the most serious diff
culties of the transition from war
to peace are already behind us If
only we have the wisdom and forth
tude to see to 1t that the forces of
imitation, so long held in check, are.
not unleashed when victory is all
but won.
Asks Congress to Provide
Sound Peacetime Economy. e..
Therefore I call upon the Con-
gress to act and act now by passing
a bill which will give the nation
adequate assurance Of completing
a successful transition to a sound
peacetime economy. Such a bill
should contain the following pro-
visions:
/. The bill should provide for ex-
tension of the sterilization laws for
a full year.
2. The bill should authorize the
continuance Of stabilizations subsi-
dies on scale sufficient to avoid
serious increases in food prices dur
ing the next six months and to per-
NIT the orderly termination of sub.
sides during the first half of 1o47,
In my judgment, an authorization
for the expenditure of billion and
quarter dollars during the year
as a whole is the minimum neces-
sary for these purposes.
3. The bill should lay down
congressional policy with respect to
the termination of price controls
and subsidies. approve the pro-
visions of paragraphs (a), (b) and
'c) OF the proposed new Section Ia
OF the Price Control Act contained
in Section 3 of the present bill.
These provisions call for the orderly
removal of all price controls and
subsidies during the course of the
coming year, with the exception
only of those commodities which, on
or before April l, 1947, the Presi-
dent finds to be still in critically
short supply and for which he asks
and secures authority for continued
control to be administered by some
established department or agency
OF the Government other than the
Once of Price Administration.
l would not oppose the formula
ton OF standards for the decontrd
OF particular commodities. as bro
vided in H. R. 6o42. or the estab-
lishment of an independent price
control board to review these appli-
cations-provided that the stand.
ards were modified to make sure
that, during the next crucial six
months, ceilings do not have to be
lifted where it is clear that serious
price rises would result.
The spelling out of detailed stand
ARDS and the establishment of new
and complex administrative machin-
cry, however, do not seem to me to
be necessary. If the Congress laws
down the declaration of decontrol
policy contained in paragraph (b)
OF the proposed new Section Ia. per-
mlttlng administrative fexibility in
lts application, I give my personal
pledge that the policy will be car
rled out to the full in spirit as well
as in letter.
Unsound Split of Authority
Handicap to Administration.
I ask the Congress also, If it gives
me responsibility for carrying out a
measure of the kind I am urging,
to permit me to do this through a
unified or effectively co-ordinated
administrative organization and not
to handicap me by legislating an un-
sound split of authority.
4. The adjustment of product
prices to make possible the maxi
mum total production is, of course,
one OF the fundamental requisites Of
good price administration during
this final transition period. do not
believe that any change in the pres
ent law is necessary to assure that
such adjustments are made. To put
the matter beyond doubt, however.
I would not object to provision
which expressly requires the adjust
mem of price ceilings wherever this
Is necessary and would be effective
to increase the total production of
needed goods.
The great majority of the Amer
ican people want an effective price
control law. They are entitled to
have it. Under such a law we can
win the war against imitation Just
as declsively as we won the war
against the Axis.
Most members of the Congress
have not yet had an opportunity to
take an unequivocal position on this
issue. As the present bill became
more and more heavily loaded with
amendments during it's four and
one-half months progress through
the Congress, the issues became
more and more obscured. Members
who wanted more effective price
control were found voting for the
bill, or for particular amendments
to the bill, on the basis that these
were the best that could be secured.
Side by side with them were mem-
bers who wanted to weaken price
control or get rid Of it altogether.
1t is most unfortunate that the
Congress has delayed final passage
OF a bill down to the eve of the very
date Of termination of the existing
law.
AS far back as September 6. 1945.
I urged the Congress to pass an ex-
tension of the price control act at
an early date so as to avoid the
uncertainties which have made con-
troll more difficult for the last few
months. Had this been done there
would now be no necessity for these
last-minute decisions. I repeated
my request to the Congress to extend
price control legislation without
Gripping amendments again and
again-on January 81, 1916; May %,
1916; May Is. 1916, and June IL,
1916.
Nevertheless just before the expi-
ration of all price control there has
been presented to me, by the Con-
gress, an impossible bill.
I cannot bring myself to believe,
however, that the representatives Of
the American people will permit the
great calamity which will befall this
cOI1Y1try If priro nd ray,f oo,,&ro1 -,