Evening star., 1948-08-15
Sawyer and brannan
Reported al Odds on
Food Export Plans
By Chalmers IA. Roberts

Once again there Is . eonhlet
between two cabinet members over
the Administrator feod expert
plans, 1t appeared last night.
A year ago, Secretary of Agri-
culture Anderson was being cautious
while Secretary of Commerce HaI-
rlman was calling for bold export
program to aid in world economic
recovery.
Now their successors are repafted
at odds.
Secretary Of Commerce Sawyer,
VINO succeeded Mr.. Hartman when
the latter became overseas boss for
the Marshall Plan, has come out for
a substantial cut in United States
food exports. He issued formal
statement, saying that the improved
crop prospects abroad should per-
nit substantially reduced level Of
wheat exports from the United
States this year, compared with
l94T-48"
Differs With sawyer.
Secretary of Agriculture Brannan,
who moved into Mr.. Andersens
Office three months ago, said Moth
ing publicly in reply. But he is
known to differ with Mr.. SAWYER
and was not consulted by Mr.. Saw
yer about the statement.
Mr., Sawyers statement was in
conflict with an earlier one made by
Dennis A. FITZGERALD, food chief at
the Economic Cooperation Admin
istratien Mr.. FITZGERALD said the
crop outlook both at home and
abroad would make possible q rise
in American export goals though
probably not to as high a figure as
was actually shipped in the year
ending June 80.
As both EcA and Agriculture Of
feiak have been saying for a long
time, the huge wheat and corn crops
expected in the United States this
year present this country With a new
postwar problem = surpluses = and
what to do with tHefI 1t was ap-
parent from eamH,fnt at the Asri-
culture Department yesterday that
officials there believe Mr. Sawyer
apparently does not realize this.
Mr.. Sawyer said he opposed any
increases in shipment of Marshall
Plan food to Europe. ECA Admin
istratar Hoffman said some time ago
that iIferea sd feod shinmerFtxMpuld
mean Natter diets and auiekAs-z zEa-
fepes q. recovery with more certainty
that the financial burden en- the
American taxpayer would end with
the Marshall Plan in 1852.
High Food Prices.
The Commerce Secretary also
said
1T may now be time to give
some attention to the interests of
the American housewife"
The implication of this remark
is that the huge export program
last year was responsible for high
food prices at home This has
been vigorously denied by President
Truman and virtually every other
Administration spokesman although
they have admitted it has been q
contributing factor.
The Sawyer statement brought
comment last night from Represen-
tative Lareade, Democrat of Louisi-
ana. He said he was glad to
learn that at long last at least one
ofhcial of the Administration i.
is now giving sene thought and
consideration to the American
housewife and the American econ
omy,"
MIR. Larcade said he had been
charging for two years that the
export policy has been and is
responsible for the deprivation of
the American people Of basic, crit
zeal foods and resulted in the
splraling high prices and increased
cost of living"
Nc Definite Goal Set.
Actually, no definite goal for this
years grain exports has as yet been
set. Under an executive order, the
Cabinet Food Committee is sup
posed to set the figure and did so
last year. The committee is made
up of the Secretaries of State, Ag-
riculture and Commerce: hence Mr..
Sawyer and Mr.. Brannan will have
to work out their differences on
cislly.
One Agriculture ofiicial. who asked
not to be named. commented: The
Secretary of Agriculture is chair
man of the committee" The i'm
plieation vas clear that Mr.. Bran
nan will have the final say. and not
Mr. Sawyer Secretary Of State
Marshall is usually represented on
the committee by Undersecretary of
State Love1t, strong foreien-aio