Evening star., 1947-01-01
Republicans 70 Seek
Review Of Remaining
Emergency Powers


on which caSt-off war powers he
wants back and which additional
ones he is willing to junk.
While generally applauding the
Chief Executives surprise action in
declaring World War II hostilities
at an end yesterday, COP law
makers made clear they want a
quick and full-scale review of the
nearly 500 emergency controls still
in effect.
Representative Michener, of Mich
igan who is slated to head the
House Judiciary Committee when
the Republicans take control Of
Congress Friday, told newsmen:
I'm for repeating all the laws
that are shown to be not essential
to the functioning of the Govern
ment"
Other party leaders echoed Mr..
Michener's views, but said they pre-
ferred to wait until they have given
the complex subject more study
before citing specific examples OF
which wartime restrictions should
be added to the i8 Mr.. Truman
threw overheard yesterday, with
SO others set to die June 80.
Hope for Greater Detail.
Most Congress members said they
hoped the President would go into
greater detail in his state of the
Nation message scheduled for Mon
day.
The end of hostilities prociama-
ton caught not only Capitol Hill
but also most Government agencies
completely off guard. In retrospect,
however, it appeared that at least
two factors dictated the timing:
l. BY acting when he did, MIR.
Truman made the sharp excise tax
cuts called for correspond with the
Governments fiscal year. Thus the
new lower rates-such as Sc instead
of So a gallon on liquor and 10 per
cent instead of 20 per cent on furs-
will go into effect July l. Any other
date would serve to complicate the
bookkeeping system. !
Q. If he had waited a single DAY
longer, the Governments agricul-
tural price support program would
have been carried through three
more full years. This program
which could cost as much as $l,o00,-
o0o 900 a year, now will expire De-
cember 81, 1948.
While yesterdays proclamation
put an immediate end to the Gov
ernment's power to seize strike
threatened industrial facilities ana
marked the whole Smith-Connally
War Labor Disputes Act for death
on June 30, the general view on
Capitol Hill appeared to be that
new strike control legislation Will
be enacted before then.
Example of Surprise.
One example of the surprise ele-
ment in Mr.. Truman's pronounce
ment was provided by the Veterans
Administration.
One agency spokesman first said
the action meant that so far as VA
is concerned, "the war is over"
Hence, he added, definite time linn
it's would begin to run on such
things as education, loan and job
less pay benefits for ex-G1s.
Later, however, this was de-
scribed as snap judgment and
officials said no formal interpreta-
ton would be issued until further
study is made.
At the War Department, too, Off
eials went into quick huddles to de-
ternine what the termination OF
hostilities would mean to the Army's
vast establishment.
Basic Authority Unchanged.
Later it was said the proclama-
ton doesn't seem to affect any
vital basic authority" One effect,
however. might be to clamp CELL
ings on the number of civilian en-
ployes permitted both the Army
and Navy, although the probable
limits could not be determined i'm
mediately.
Most other Government depart
ments already are under such pay
roll ceilings
One think Mr.. Truman'S action
did was to lift the wartime reStric-
tions on rivers and harborS and
food control projects-all of which
come under War Department super
vision.
But the Army engineers said this
would not alter the fact that the
extent of such work will be con-
trolled by the money made avail
able. During the war all projects
were halted except those classed
as essential to the actual prosecu-
ton of the war, hence huge"
backlog accumulated.
Program Cited.
The original program approved by
the President for the current year
totaled about $185, 600 900, but sub
sequent relaxations lifted this to
1890 .000, 600
Mr.. Truman said in his statement
that some of the powers he was
casting off in d single stroke are
desirable" either indefinitely or
for the remainder of the reconver-
sion period
He did not specify what he had in
mind but added that lin these in
stances recommendations will be
made to the Congress for additional
legislation.
One example might be the law
under which the Treasury supplied
millions of dollars worth of silver
to the atomic energy plants for use
rs electrical conductors.
This act now Is due to expire June
80 and, unless renewed. the Atomic
Energy Commission would have to
replace before them all silver wiring
with still-scarce copper or some