Evening star., 1947-03-23
By Robert S. Allen
(Copyright. 1947. by North American
Newspaper Alliance Inc)

(Copyright. 1947. ny North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)
Senator Murray of Montana,
ranking Democratic member Of the
Senate Small Business Committee,
yesterday demanded that further
disposal of surplus Government war
plants be taken away from the = ar
Assets Administration anf.. be
turned over to the Comme-te De-
partmellt.
He also called for the cation Of
an inter-agency comm 2 to sup
plant Attorney Gem Clark in
the administration & the Surplus
Property Act.
Senator Murray made his de-
mands in an exhaustive report that
|scathingly denounced the handling
LOT surplus property disposal by the
WAA and Mr.. Clark. The Senator
charged them with "hagrantly
abandoning their obligations" dis
reg@ding the priority rights Of
veterans and the interests of small
business.
Corporation Recommended.
To replace WAA, Senator Murray
recommended the creation of a
completely independent corpora
ton" in the Commerce Department.
Under his proposal, this agency
would have "all the rights, duties,
obligations, and power now in the
surplus property administration
with reference to surplus real
property"
The Attorney Generals authority
under the Surplus Property Act
would be taken over by three-man
body composed of the Attorney
General, the chairman of the Fed
eral Trade Commission, and the
Undersecretary of Commerce, who
would head the proposed new dis
posal corporation.
Wants Immediate Inventory.
Senator Murray also demanded
that an immediate inventory be
made of all surplus Government
property. He charged that no "satis-
factory account of these vast hold
ings now exists, and declared a
survey is necessary 'for any in
telligent planning for future dis
posal."
In his report, Senator Murray
states that $4,000, 100000 in plant
facilities were constructed during
the war, $4,000 100000 worth being
erected by the Government. The re-
port adds that s6,000,000,000 of the
Governments plants and equip
ment have been sold, leased or taken
over by the Army, Navy and other
Government agencies. The remain
ing $4,000, 100000 awaits disposal.
Government disposal policy coV-
ering a sixth of all the manufac-
turing plants of the Nation may well
have a determining effect on the
immediate and long-range decisions
of our business leaders," Senator
Murray declared. ut may deter
mine to no small degree the num-
ber of jobs to be filled.
Present Policy Aids Monopoly.
THE War Assets Administration
has not enforced the statutory and
administrative standards established
for its disposal operations. Many
plants have been sold to industrial
giants and some have gone to cor
porations now or recently under In
dictment for antitrust violations.
The agency's record shows that dis
posal of plants has increased indus
trial concentration.
Senator Murray was chairman OF
the Small Business Committee until
the Republicans assumed control OF
the Senate. The work of investiga-
ton summarized in his report was
done by Dewey Anderson and John
Shott, economists, and Joseph H.
Reed, attorney. All three were let
out when Senator Wherry, Republi-
can, of Nebraska became committee
chairman.
Galley proofs of Senator Muir
rays report have been sent to the