Evening star., 1946-10-26
BY the Associated Press

The Government embarked on
a series Of new expedients today
to round up scarce lumber and
nails for veterans housing, in
cluding removal of import du-
ties on wood suitable for con-
struction.
These developments came in quick
order:
l. President Truman proclaimed
an emergency under which a list
of timber, lumber and lumber prod.
ucts designated by National Hous.
ing Administrator Wilson wyatt will
be duty-free. Mr.. Wyatt planned
to have the list ready Monday.
2. Mr.. Wyatt announced the Gov.
ernment will pay manufacturers 6
premium of $40 ton for housing
nails produced in excess of quotas
based on their output in the first
half of 1916.
Black Market Drive Starts.
3. The housing agency and CT.
william Production Administration
launched drive against black mar.
kets in which they said nails sell
for as much as 10 times the lega
price.
4. The MIA and CPA reported
that leading nail companies have
pledged a production increase oi
nearly Is per cent by December.
S. Mr.. Wyatt recommended $54,-
100000 in Federal loans for makers
of prefabricated houses.
MIA officials said the waiver OF
duty will Offset the threat to lum-
ber shipments from Canada, main
source of imported wood, which re-
suited when Canada revalued its
dollar to parity with the United
States dollar. This made the Ameri-
can dollar worth 10 per cent less In
terms Of Canadian exchange ano
cut the revenue of Dominion lumber
men by that amount.
Revenue Tax Seen Affected.
An MIA spokesman said he be-
lieved the White House order would
apply not only to the import duty
of so cents per 1000 board feet, but
also to the $1.50 revenue tax. The
proclamation will remain in force
until the Emergency Housing Act
expires December 81, 1947, or unit
the President declares the emer-
gency at an end.
At Portland, Greg, the West Coast
Lumberman's Association doubted
the move would have much effect
H. v. Simpson, executive vice presi-
dent, said the only shortage Is in
so-called clear type wood used fol
doors. flooring, siding and sash
and the reason 1t Is short Is because
most of it goes to plywood plants
rather than mills which saw lumber
for housing purposes.
In New Orleans, H. G. Berkes
secretary of the Southern Pine AS
ISOLATION, said Russia and Sweder
might pour so much lumber into thi,
country that it would break the
domestic lumber market. On duty
free basis, he said, they could un.
dersell domestic producers.
Reece Charges Politics.
Chairman Carroll Reece Of the
Republican National Committee
called the action a mere politica
maneuver. - ,l--4j-.-.- go s.
T. tSGonsideringo the Q fact that fhl
building season in many partsc1o'
the country had about ended, for the
winter he said in a statement
1T may be that Mr.. Truman's order
is designed to have more edeet uDpT
the construction of political fences
than the construction of houses
He pointed out further that the
Government had been permitting
lumber exports, and asked wouldn't
it have been simpler to keep some
of that lumber at home where II
might be built into houses?"
MIA officials conceded privately
meanwhile, that the 1916 goal OF
starting 100000 new homes and
apartments would be missed, al
though not by far.
New Record Expected.
Nevertheless the years building
activity, they predicted, will exceed
by a good margin the all-time peak
of 1925 when $4,000 homes were
started. The 1925 dwellings were
virtually all permanent ones. how
ever, and many of those going up
now are temporary.
Mr.. Wyatt ran into q brick wal
Of opposition yesterday from the
War Assets Administration in hi
effort to get the huge, Government
owned Dodge plant in Chicago
turned over as surplus to the Lustror
Corp. for the manufacture OF as
sembly line homes. WAA, which
agreed last month to lease the plant
to the Tucker Corp. new automo.
bile firm, refused to set aside thai
lease.
The issue seemed headed for At.
torney General Clark for decision
An acrimonious meeting between
housing and WAA officials ended
without agreement. Mr.. Wyatt.
aides said he would serve forma
order on the surplus agency, which
in turn, is expected to appeal to thu
Attorney General for formal lega
opinion.
Prefabrication Plan Hit.
Unless the Attorney General rule!
in favor of Mr.. Wyatt and the Lus.
tron Corp, WAA has announced Il
will stand pat on its lease to thu
new auto concern.
Builders of traditional houses
meanwhile, took pot shots at thu
proposed lending OF millions to sc,
up a fabrication industry. 4
spokesman for the National Associa'
tion of Home Builders said Mr.
Wyatt was going at it the hare
way" and could better devote hi.
efforts to getting supplies for com.
pletion of the 100000 houses nov
standing unfinished"
BarkIey Reminds Voters
Of Changes After 1882
By the Assoei-ted Press
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 26,-Al