Evening star., 1946-03-11
C,onferees Vote
To Restore.0
|AndCPAFunds
Agreement Reached
On Finances Until
End of Fiscal Year
BY the Assoeiated Pres.

Two key administration re-
conversion control agencies, the
OPA and CPA, won restoration
OF funds today from a Senate-
House appropriations confer
ence.
The Senate previously had voted
TO slash in two funds approved by
the House for operation during the
next four months of the Once of
Price Administration and the CT.
villain Production Administration
(peacetime successor to the War
Production Board.
The conference agreement, which
now must be approved first by the
House and then by the Senate, al
lows:
CPA the full s1,5oo, 900 voted by
the House. The Senate had cut
this to $750,000 on a roll-call vote.
OPA $1.600,000 The House had
voted 81 ,854 900 and the Senate cut
this to 1927, 900.
Included in Deficiency Bill.
The funds are included in an
urgent deficiency" bill supplying
money for the rest of the current
fiscal year, which ends June 80.
House conferees agreed to Sen
ate change that would allow each of
the 96 Senators additional funds for
clerk hire at the rate of $2,400 q
year.
Items not in dispute included
S100 900, 900 of loan funds for the
Rural Electrification Administration
and s159,000 for the ONCE of De-
fense Transportation.
Despite the conference agreement,
key members said it is now certain
the House will vote to trim OPAs
powers.
Emphasis on Output Sought.
These legislators declared a size
able majority will support contin-
uance of the price control agency
beyond its June 80 expiration date.
But, they told newsmen, pressures
against present OPA policy have
mounted so high both in and out
Of Congress that there is no doubt
several notifications will be made.
President Truman has called for
extension of OPA without change.
Most OF the restrictions, the law
makers said, will be designed to put
emphasis on production, rather than
holding fast to the price line.
Other Changes Sought.
/ Other changes, they added, will
include a switch of some control au-
thority to agencies specifically con-
cerned with certain products, such
as the Agriculture Department on
food items.
The views expressed represent q
compilation of opinions voiced by
several House leaders of both par
ties who always are influential on
legislation of this type. They ia
clude:
Chairman Pace and several mem.
bers OF his special Food Investigat.
ing Committee. They favor Civ
ing Secretary of Agriculture Ander.
son some of OPA's present author.
ity over food prices.
Chairman Colmer and several
members of his special Committee
on Postwar Economic Policy, who
are particularly eager to stress the
production angle.
Representatives Wolcott, Repub.
llcan, OF Michigan and Brown, DEM
ocrat, of Georgia, ranking members
OF the House Banking Committee,
which now is holding hearings on
the extension measure. Both are
sponsoring provision which would
require immediate lifting of price
controls when the supply of any
product approaches demand.
Group Makes Demands.
Representative Hartley, Republi-
can, of New Jersey, chairman of a
special OPA Policy Planning Com
mittee named by a newly organized
coalition of Republicans and South
ern Democrats who have worked
together frequently in the past.
This group, with between 100 and
$50 members lined up behind It. is
calling for:
/. A policy which would prohibit
OPA from requiring sellers to absorb
increases in cost of production, proc
essing or distribution. This cost
absorption policy has been applied
in the cases of automobiles and most
other scarce goods lust returning to
the market.
2. Price levels which would give
(See OPA, Page A-4)