Evening star., 1947-03-13
Overall Cufin BUDGET.
May Have 10 Wait on
Turco-Greek Aid Plan
By J. A. o'Leoy

hepuDllCdn plans IOI an over
all cut in President Truman's
$37 500, 900, 900 budget for next
year may have to be side
tracked until Congress decides
how far it is going on aid to
Greece and Turkey.
Approval Of the program Of for
eign aid Mr.. Truman outlined yes
terday also would leave Congress
with the related question Of whether
to check present demobilization
plans. This is another reason why
the fixing of the budget ceiling
probably will be delayed.
The Army and Navy supply bills
for next year are still in the draft
ing stage in the House Appropria-
tions Committee. President Truman
has not" asked for extension of the
expiring selective service law, but
recommended that Congress create
an agency to preserve the draft
law records.
OPA Over Last Hurdle.
One small measure Of economy
the LIQUIDATION of OPA-cleared its
last hurdle late yesterday, however,
when the Senate adopted the con-
ference report on a S179,645, 600
urgent deficiency bill.
If President Truman signs the bill
the pricing agency, along with the
Office of Temporary Controls, will
have to close down June 80. Some
Democrats contend the $14 100000
finally allowed OPA in the bill will
mean the end of effective rent,
sugar and rice control April 80, un-
less Congress passes separate bills
giving other Government agencies
power to regulate these subjects in
the meantime.
Chairman Bridges Of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, who in
dicated his support of Mr.. Truman's
foreign policy message, was the first
to admit that such financial aid to
Communist threatened countries
may change the whole budget-cut-
ting program on which Republican
leaders had embarked
Conferees Still to Meet.
Senator Bridges heads the Senate
contingent of a Joint Conference
Committee, appointed to determine
how low a ceiling should be placed
on the administration $37 500, 0,000,-
900 budget.
The House voted to slash $6,000,-
600, 900 from Mr.. Truman's total, but
the Senate favored a cut of only
81 500,0o0000. More than a week
has gone by without an initial meet
ing of the confereeS, and no time
has been set for them to gather.
The s400,000,OO0 of financial aid
to Greece and Turkey asked for
yesterday could be made without
completely upsetting the congress
sional plans for budget cutting.
That would merely require the
House to come closer to. the Sen
ates economy goal. Some men,
bers of Congress indicated in their
foreign policy comments last night,
however, that If Congress embraces
the principle of assisting Com
munist- Threatened areas, 1t is likely
to involve considerably more than
this first appropriation. /,
Meanwhile, OPA officials told
reporter they are unable to make
plans for closing up shop June, 30
until Congress decides where to
transfer rent and sugar controls.
They said they are holding up
dismissal notices to 13,000-'odd en-
ployes because some may be needed
by whatever department inherits
the rent-sugar job.
Maj. Gen. Philip B. Fleming,
chief of the Office of Temporary
Controls, said Congress allowed
only enough funds for OPA to carry
on rent controls in their present
form until April 80.
He said even this is on the as
sumption that sugar rationing and
price controls on sugar and rice will
be transferred to some other agency,
possibly the Agriculture Department,
by March 81.
He added that he expects Con-
gress to take some action on trans
ferring rent controls by April 30.
I'VE will carry on our program as
effectively as we can and as long as
we can," Gen. Fleming told re-
porter