Evening star., 1951-07-21
Patchwork Controls
Measure Is Passed
Al Night Session
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on Federal livestock marketing
quotas.
3. A vote of 265 to 148 to pro-
hibit imports of fats and oils
which would compete with this
country's products.
4. A 232-to-184 vote to deny
President Truman authority to
acquire and operate defense
plants.
Denial of Authority.
5. A vote of $50 to 167 to deny
authority to the President to Gre
ate new Government corporations
6. BY a vote of 333 to 81 denial
of authority to the President to
license business to enforce price
controls.
7. A vote of 241 to 172 against
giving the President authority to
regulate commodity trading.
In balloting on other provisions
the House voted 251 to 164 to re-
verse its previous action approving
establishment of a central procure
ment agency to expedite priority
supply needs of State and local
governments; and voted 216 to 200
against eXempting strategic metals
and minerals from price ceilings
where they cannot be produced
economically under price ceilings.
The final vote came after the
House defeated. 299 to lit, mo-
ton by Representative Cole, Re-
publican. of Kansas, to send the
bill back to committee for further
study.
The final vote on passage of the
bill was 1923 to 80. Sixteen Demo-
Gratis joined with rs Republicans
In voting against the measure.
1t may be some time before
the full scope of the bill-an ex-
tension of the Defense Production
Act Of l950--is clearly known. The
present controls law expires
July 81.
AS it was presented to the
House. the new measure consisted
of some 81 separate amendments
prepared by the House Banking
Committee. To these were added
dozens of additional amendments
from the f1cor. The result was
patchwork law which members
themselves did not profess to
understand thoroughly.
In one of its final actions, the
House eased controls over INSTALL
ment purchasing of automobiles,
televisions and the like, lowering
down payments in some cases and
allowing longer to pay.
1t also permitted trade-ins to
be figured as part of the down
payment on appliances. This is
forbidden under present regula-
tions.
Down Payments Reduced.
Down payments on household
appliances were reduced from 25
per cent to Is per cent, with 18
months instead of is months to
pay.
On household furniture and
floor coverings they were reduced
from Is per cent to 10. with 81
instead of the present Is months
to pay.
HouSeholders would be given
36 months instead of 80 months
to pay for repairs. And in case
of roofing and siding. the down
payment would not have to be
made until the work was COM
pleted.
In the case of automobiles. the
down payment would be one
third on new cars and one fourth
on used cars, with 81 months in
stead of the present Is months to
pay.
Also, the down payment on
homes costing up to $4,000 would
be put at 10 per cent with Is
years to pay.
Goes Along on Rents.
In case of rents. the House went
along with the Senate for a 90
per cent increase over July 80,
1947, rent levels. An attempt by
Representative Kennedy, Demo-
crat, of Massachusetts,. to hold the
increase at 10 per cent was de-
feated.
The House also strengthened
the local option provision for re-
controlling rents in critical housing
areas.
1t adopted an amendment by
Representative McDonough, Re-
publican. OF California, which
would give local governing bod
les so days to approve Federal
designation that the locality is
a critical defense area. Only if
a locality does affirm the finding
which designates it a defense
area could rents be recontrolled.
An exception to this would be
housing rented to families of serv-
icemen. They would come under
control automatically with the
Federal order.
AS the members streamed wear