Evening star., 1951-09-10
Senate Unit May Vote
Today on Amendment
|0f Control Provisions
BY The Assoeiuisd Press

| President Truman's appeal for
speedy revision of the new eco
nomic controls law may get some
lfirst-round action in the Senate
Banking Committee today.
i In advance of q closed meeting
lof the group this morning. Chair
man Maybank told reporters he
would call for a vote-Withoutl
further public hearings-on re-
peal or change Of two provisions
denounced by Mr.. Truman.
i A decision regarding two others
the President wants repealed may
be delayed pending further study.
Senator Maybank said.
Changes Requested.
1 Mr.. Truman signed the new
controls measure July 81. but he
SHARPLY criticized it as inadequate
to curb imitation. In a special
message August %. he asked Con-
gress to scrap sections of the law
which:
/. Allow sellers to pass on to
consumers virtually all cost in
creases which occurred between
the start Of the Korean war and
last July 26. The President has
dubbed that provision an "eco-
nomic BOBBY trap" and "the ter
|rible Capeheart amendment" I"
Senator Capeheart, Republican, Of
Indiana has said four Democrats
and one other Republican joined
him in drafting the measure.
2. Require the fixing Of price
feelings at levels which assure
wholesalers and retailers the same
percentage margin Of profit they
learned before the Korean war. Mr..
Truman said that provision, spon-
Isored by Representative Herlong,
democrat. Of Florida, Invites
Americas 2 million distributors to
become commission statesmen for
Imitation"
Slaughter Controls Banned.
8. Prohibit use of livestock
slaughter controls. That section
was sponsored by Senator Butler,
Republican, Of Nebraska and Rep
: resentative Hope, Republican, Of
kansas, who contended the slaugh-
ter control program the Govern
ment had in effect would encour-
age meat black markets. Mr.. Tru-
man said it opens the way for
black marketeers to muscle in"
4. Require, under certain condi-
tionS, import controls on fats and
oils, cheese, butter and other
dairy products, and peanuts and
rice. The President said this pro-
vision runs counter to the national
policy Of reciprocal trade agree
Iments.
i Senator Maybank said he would
move to send to the Senate floor
an administration-backed pro-
lpoSal to revise the provision known
as the Capehart amendment. Al
though Mr.. Truman asked for re-
peal, Mobilization Director Charles
E. Wilson has offered compro-
mise designed to give price control
officials more discretion and to ease
the administrative load.
Capehart Thinks It's Fair.
Senator Capehart said he is
willing to study ANY reasonable
modification" but that he still
thinks the current version is en-
tirely fair because it provides for
price rollbacks as well as justified
price increases"
Senator Maybank said he also
would move for committee approx
al today of an amendment to re-
Ipeal the import controls section to
(which the President objected.
ION the slaughter controls mat
tier. we may decide it would be best
to handle that separately q little
later-perhaps after some public
hearings" Senator Maybank said.
AS for the Herlong amendment
requiring pre-Korean percentage
margins Of profit, Senator May
bank said that because 1t origi-
mated in the House he was not in
lclined to>urge his committee to act
on it before the House Banking
ICommittee studied the Presidents
requests. That group has not
fixed q time for such study.