Evening star., 1951-07-19
Rent and Credit Take
Spotlight in House
Controls Bill Fight


Controls Bill Fight
Rent and credit regulation pro-
posalS were the main controversial
issues today as the House leared
final action on an economic con-
trolls bill.
The closing drive by Democrats.
however, will aim at bringing up
again and defeating on roll call
votes some of the amendments
tentatively adopted during the
past 10 days by unrecorded tallies.
At least a dozen such roll calls
may be taken beginning late to-
day. This could delay until to-
morrow final passage of a much
changed bill to extend the De-
tense Production Act. The House
version then would go to confer
ence for discussion of differences
with the Senate measure passed
three weeks ago. The present law
expires July 81.
Two amendments put over yes
terday by a coalition of Republi-
cans, Southern Democrats and
farm State members in general
stand high on the list of tentative
changes that Democrats hope to
reverse when Representatives have
to answer yes or no for the record
BY a vote of $50 to 144 the
House added a ban on meat price
ceilings which do not allow "a
reasonable margin of profit" or
every type Of beef, lambs and hogs
handled by packers and professors
The House then went on to add
by a vote of 1865 to 102. ban on
lprice ceilings on all kinds Of prod.
ucts. industrial as well as agri-
cultural, unless such ceilings allow
a reasonable profit" by taking
into account manufacturing cost.
or farm parity.
The latter amendment, offered
by Representative Poage, Demo
crat, of Texas, defined reasonably
profit" as at least IS per cent O.
the average earnings Of the bes
three years during 1946-49 in
elusive.
Administration leaders wer,
Ijubilant earlier this week over de
Ifeating key amendments tina
would have banned or greatly lin
lifted authority to roll-back prices
To-day they saw great damage
in what they described as th
amendments Of Mr.. Poage ant
Representative Cole. Republican
of Kansas.
Most Damaging Blow"
This cost plus guarantees
profit on every item amendment.
Price Director Michael v. DiSall
declared, sis the most damagin
blow to price controls thus ia
taken. It would blow the lid OF
price ceilings and make admins
'tration Of controls almost impos
|sible. There are not enough &C
, countants in the entire world t
do this figuring required by tn
,, amendment"
Economic Sterilization Direc
tor Eric Johnston, in a radio in
, lterview last night. said the Poag
amendment in particular wa
I"bad news to the consumer" H
! urged the House not only to XII
r the Poage and Cole amendment
on the final roll calls, but also t
restore authority for meat slaugh
tering quotas and the two add
tional beef price rollbacks whic
s the House tentatively voted t
:. ban.
House Majority Leader Nc
q Cormack denounced the amend
! ments as "a middleman's profit
and as mot in the interest of tn
l farmer or the consumer" Bank
q ing Committee Chairman Spenc'
!. floor manager for the economi
controls bill. called the Poage pla
S a "hijacking amendment" H
S said it practically guaranteed foo
producers and many manufac
turers mot only an overall prof
$ but a profit on every line carried,
New WSB Makeup Rejected.
But Representative Wolcot
4 Republican, of Michigan, rankin
minority member of the Bankin
Committee. asked: What
wrong with profits?" He said tn
amendments were necessary to a:
sure reasonable profits as a mean
of getting "the production we nee
to beat imitation"
Administration forces, howeve
Y gained one major victory yestel
Il day. BY a vote of 217 to 113 tt
i House rejected an amendmer
e proposed by Representative Luca