Evening star., 1947-01-16
Republicans Claim
Votes 70 Continue
War Probe Group
By J. A. o'Leory

Republicans were confiden
they have the votes to continu,
the Senate War Investigating
Committee for another year
when the roll is called tomorrow
in this first major test of part!
strength in the new Congress.
Republican and Democratic lead.
ers of both houses talked with Presi
dent Truman at the White HOUSE
this morning, but said later that ths
question of the committees exten'
sion was not discussed.
Informed sources at the Capito
doubted that Mr.. Truman would in
ject himself into the War Investi-
eating Committee fight, since it is
strictly Senate organization prob
lem, on which neither the House nor
the President will have to pass.
Gave Truman Spotlight.
1t was this War Investigating
Committee which started Mr.. Tru-
man on the road to the White House
AS it's first chairman in the early
DAYS of the defense program, the
committees fearless findings turned
the spotlight on the Missourian and
paved the way for his nomination rs
Vice President.
Senator Brewster, Republican OF
of Maine, new chairman OF the COM
mittee, told reporters late yesterday
Mr.. Truman remarked to him that
the present members of the COM
mittee ought to be competent to
carry on its work. The Maine Sena-
tor did not quote the President as
expressing any direct opinion on
whether the committee should be
extended for another year.
Senate Democrats. led by Senator
Tydings of Maryland, are battling
against continuing any special COM
mittees, on the ground it would vio-
late the spirit of the new Congress
sional Reorganization Act. While the
vote is expected to be close, Demo-
Gratis were less hopeful today OF
stopping the extension resolution
than they were when the debate
started.
Jurisdiction Weakened.
The Republicans weakened the
opposition when Senator Brewster
offered an amendment yesterday
limiting the future jurisdiction OF
the committee to allegations OF war
profiteering and inefficiency in war
work. This leaves to the Armed
Services Committee all questions OF
military policy, including the ad-
ministration of the American zones
of occupation, which the Brewster
Committee had started to study.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, OF
Michigany an active member of the
war investigating group, told the
Senate yesterday that Americans
may be denied an accounting of
"extravagant or unwise" wartime
programs if the committee is per-
mitted to pass out of existence jan
uary 81.
Illustrating the kind of inquiry
he wants the committee to carry
out, Senator Ferguson said the
committee had in it's files reports
of instances where individuals made
"inordinate profits" from the sale
of small hardware items to the
Treasury's Procurement Division fol
lease-lend to our Allies during the
war.
He said one such case involved
some 3-inch steel pins, of which
he said the Treasury bought 7700(
from firm with no manufacturing
facilities.
955 Per Cent Profit Seen.
This firm, in turn, sublet the
entire production of this pin to an
other firm" he explained. "The first
which actually manufactured the
pin received 3 cents per pin, but
the Government paid to the firm
with which it had its contract "a
cents per pin. In this case the
middleman's profit, which the Gov
ernment paid, was 955 per cent over
the manufacturer price"
Senator Ferguson said that the
cases examined by the committee
involving similar actions showed the
Government had paid 81 ,000, 900 over
the manufacturers price.
Pending also is a resolution te
extend the life of the Senate
Small Business Committee for eight
months, but has been overshadoWeC
h1, tho u,ar Investigating debate