Evening star., 1949-02-13
Price Problem
Still RetardinQ
.CongressPace
Many Major Measures
Face Battles as
Seventh Week Begins
By ChoImers M. Roberts

The 81st Congress tomorrow
begins it's seventh week with every
indication that. long and heated
battles still lie ahead for many.
major Administration measures
while others appear headed for
pigeonholes.
While both Senate and House
will consider minor legislation.
the week will be chiefly another
one of committee work.
Chief reason for the slowness
with which the new Democratic
controlled Congress is getting
under way, other than the normal
delay IN organizing a new Con-
gress after a switch in party con-
troll. is the shifting economic
picture. This appears to be as
much of mystery to most mem
bers of Congress as to the general
public.
Imitation VS.. Recession.
The decline in prices-of major
proportions for farm products,
still minor to consumers but pos
sibly indicative Of things ahead
has just about halted the elec-
tion day momentum for price
controls and has cast doubts on
many other anti-inf1ation meas
ures. Committees which were ex.
pected to be busy discussing ways
to halt imitation now are talking
about what to do in case of q
recession, or worse.
One and possibly two White
House conferences with interested
legislative leaders are likely this
week in an effort to get parts Of
the Truman program back on the
track. House Ways and Means
Committee members have been
called to a Tuesday conference,
presumably to talk about hearings
beginning February % on social
security legislation. But the meet
ing will afford an opportunity for
President Truman to press his
publicly stated feeling that $4,.
900, 100000 in new taxes is needed,
regardless of the changing eco
nomic picture.
A second conference may be in
the making this week to whip up
enthusiasm for the key parts Of
Mr.. Truman's eight-point anti.
imitation program standby wage
price controls, authority for the
Government to build steel plants
if present capacity is judged in
sufficient and mandatory power
to allocate key materials In short
supply.
go Slow" Signal.
Administration leaders on both
the Senate and House Banking
Committees have been giving the
"go slow signal on an omnibus
bill containing these provisions.
AS result it has been gathering
dust for {. couple of weeks, wait.
ing for Democratic congressional
sponsors.
House action is scheduled this
week on export control extension,
first of the Presidents eight anti
initiation measures to go through
Congress. It already has passed
the Senate.
The House will also consider @
deficiency appropriation bill con-
tanning funds for a Tennessee
Valley Authority steam plant,
killed by the 8oth Congress after
a bitter fight. 1t appears likely
to win approval this time.
The Senate tomorrow will avoid
controversial measures by gentls-
mems agreement since many Re.
publicans are still out of the city
delivering Lincoln Day addresses.
Here is the situation of various
parts of the legislative program
as of today:
Reciprocal trade program:
Passed by House, Senate Finance
Committee hearings begin Thurs
day, due to last four or five days.
Reorganization of the executive
branch: Passed by House. Senate
hearings due to conclude this
week.
ERP Hearings Go On.
Marshall Plan extension: Hear
ings continue in both Senate and
House committees with Senate
hearings to end this week. Chair
man Connally Of the Senate For.
eign Relations Committee pre-
dicted yesterday the committee
will approve the $3.50, ,000, 900 au-
thorization without even q token"
(see CONGRESS, Page A-s3
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