Evening star., 1946-07-12
Floor Chiefs Beq
Senate fol Pass
'0PA Bill Now
RivoI Porty Leaders
Join in Attempt TO
Block interruption
By J. A. O'Leory

Democratic and Republican
floor leaders joined today in ap-
pealing to the Senate to pass the
battered OPA bill before turning
to any other legislation.
Their plea was prompted by ths
announcement of Senator Wiley,
Republican, of Wisconsin, that he
would move this afternoon to take
up President Truman's three Cow
ernment reorganization orders.
which would displace price control,
probably until Tuesday.
Under the law, Senator Wiley's
motion would not be debatable and
must be voted on at once. His rea-
son for wanting to break in on
OPA Is that Congress has only un-
til midnight Monday If it wants to
turn down the reorganization plans.
Barkley Sees Quick OPA Action.
Majority Leader Barkley said
there is IAN excellent chance" OPA
can be disposed of today, leaving
Saturday and Monday to act on the
reorganization orders.
Minority Leader White of Maine
supported Senator Barkley, declar-
ing. i cannot think of anything
important enough to interrupt the
prlce-control bill at this time"
Senator Moore, Republican. of Ok
lahoma replied that price control
debate couid go on next week,
whereas the reorganization orders
are approaching a deadline.
When the battered remnants OF
the OPA bill finally pass the Senate
an effort will be made TO get a di-
rect showdown in the House on the
Senate amendments leaving meat,
poultry, dairy products. oil and other
products free from OPA ceilings.
Advocates of these specific ex-
emptions are planning ast-minute
motion. instructing Senate con-
ferees TO insist on the list OF de-
controlled items. The purpose
would be to induce the House to
vote on these amendments sep
arately before the measure as
whole is passed,
If the House concurred in the
decontrol program. it would be
virtually impossible for the conferees
70 eliminate them in a compromise
move, and President Truman would
have TO decide whether to revive
a skeletonized OPA. or let the
agency stay dead
Victory on Tie Vote.
Ma jority Leader Barkley saved his
substitute for the Taft profit for
mula by a tie vote. 40 TO 40, last
night Senator Taft, Republican
Of Ohio, central figure in the
battle between Congress and the
White House, needed ma jority
10 beat the Barkley yardstick
Nine Southern Democrats Joined
81 Republicans in favor of restor-
ing slightly modified version OF
! the original Taft amendment, which
Mr.. Truman attacked as infationary
IN ms veto message. Two Republic
cans-Aiken and Morse-and the
Progressive Republican, La Toilette,
gave 81 Democrats the margin they
needed TO sustain the Barkley plan.
The Barkley proposal. regarded
as the backbone of the new bill,
fixes the calendar year 1910 as the
basic price period for manufacturers
and producers. to which could be
added the average overall increase
in cost of production in an industry.
Taft Changed Base Period.
Senator Taft changed his original
base period from the fall of 194l
to the first two weeks of July. 1910.
but retained the principle of average
unit cost. The Ohioan contended
the Barkley amendment gave OPA
so much discretion in granting or
denying increased costs. as TO be
ineffective.
After winning their narrow VIC
tory last night, administration forces
quickly moved to prevent a reopen
ing of the issue Senator Barley
iSae 0pA Dope A Sl