Evening star., 1948-01-29
Truman Asks DistiIIery Curbs
Be Extended Through October
To Meet Grain E Export Needs
Shortage Jeopordizes
National Security,
He Tells Congress
By Joseph A. Fox

Declaring that the present
grain shortage "jeopardizes the
national security" President
Truman asked Congress in a spe-
cial message today to extend
until October 81 Government au-
thority to limit the use of grain
for making whisky and other
distillation purposes, including
the manufacture of industrial
alcohol.
The Agriculture Department ex-
planned that. the latter authority
was designed only for standby
purposes to prevent the unlawful
diversion of industrial alcohol to
beverage channels and that there
was no intention of interfering with
legitimate production Of industrial
alcohol.
Mr.. Truman acted after the House
Banking Committee pigeonholed a
bill to extend the grain ALLEGATION
program, now due to expire at mid
night Saturday, through February.
The Senate had passed the stop
gap measure.
"Nonsensical," Wolcott Says.
Chairman Wolcott of the House
committee commented this after
noon that it would be "nonsensicaP
to continue allocating grain in this
country if grain shipped abroad still
can be used for making liquor.
Mr.. Wolcott dictated his state
ment to his office here by telephone
from Chicago, saying his commit
tee turned down the Senate-ap-
proved bill because "the admins
tration has authorized the export
of corn to foreign countries to be
used by them not for food, but for
the manufacture of whisky.
so long as this condition exists,
the ALLEGATION of grain to the preju-
dice of thousands employed in the
domestic distilling industry is fall
lacious and does not result in max
ing more food available for hungry
people in Europe"
The President recommended that
his authority over grain be extend
ed for nine months under the Sec
ond War Powers Act with respect
to ALLEGATION and inventory control
of grain for the production of ethyl
alcohol regardless of the use to
which the product is to be put"
Six-Year Supply in Stock.
The message was read to the
House. The Senate was not in ses-
sion.
The President said that If the
present ALLEGATION controls are ex-l
tended that it is contemplated that
the use of grain will be at the rate
of 2,500,0O0 bushels monthly-the
present rate-but he added: THE
total amount to be allocated month
ly will depend upon the amount de-
termined to be available after con-
sidering all demand and supply
factors"
Mr.. Truman said that the whisky
stock now on hand equals about the
quantity normally available before
the war, "but due to the greatly in
creased sale of blended whisky at
the present time, the stocks repre-
sent a six-year supply even at the
present high rate Of consumption.
No additional buildup in stocks,
therefore, is justified and the in
dustry can Withstand a substantial
depletion of it's present stocks with
out undue hardship"
Under normal conditions, the
President said, the average monthly
use during 1947 fiscal year would
have been 3,25O,000 bushels. Thus,
he said, reduction brought about by
the Government program amounts
to only % per cent on replacement
basis.
Critical Shortage of Grain"
Mr.. Truman pegged his request on
the needs of Europe, stressing that
for the most part the grain situa-
ton lis extremely grave" there.
Upon the basis of information
furnished by the Secretary Of Agri-
culture" the President said in
discussion of domestic conditions, II
have determined that there is at
present a critical shortage of grain
which threatens to become more
serious during the next few months;
that such shortage jeopardizes the
national security and welfare Of the
United States; that there is no pros
pect that such critical shortage may
soon be remedied by an increase
in the available supply without ad-
(See WHISKY, Page A-5)