Evening star., 1953-10-02

Secretary of Commerce Weeks
feels the Republican admins
tration should do more than it
did this year in providing funds
to strengthen his department
and restore its original aim to
help business.
Announcing establishment of a
Business and Defense Services
Administration to absorb the
National Production Authority
and consolidate five other de-
partmental offices, he charged
yesterday that the Democrats
"watered down" his department.
He described the new reor-
ganization move toward getting
back to the departments origi-
nal purpose. He declared at
the same time that his depart
ment still spends less than it
did when Herbert Hoover was
Secretary in 1929. He said he
believes it should get a bigger
appropriation next year.
Optimistic for Future.
Voicing optimism about pres
ent and prospective business
conditions, Mr.. Weeks explained
that the reorganization an
nounced at yesterdays news
conference had no relation to
the apprehension voiced in some
quarters concerning a possible
business recession. Such an
agency, however, will be a good
thing to have to help ward off
any recession or cope with one
if it occurs, he added.
The news conference brought
numerous questions about excise
taxes, particularly in view of
President EiSenhower's state
ment that a manufacturers ex-
else tax has not been counted
out as a possible recommended
ton to Congress.
Secretary Weeks refused to
discuss taxes in detail. He dis
closed that he had Offered some
suggestions" to the Treasury and
understood that several studies
are under way on the excise tax
problem. He remarked that pres
ent eXciSeS have grown like
TopSy" and now constitute a
"hodge podge." He said he be-
lieved the Treasury ''is going to
take a good look at excises and
come up with something better
and fairer."
rs Industry Divisions.
The new agency, as outlined
by Mr.. Weeks, will take over the
remaining defense and mobiliza-
ton functions of NPA. It will
also include the Office of Tech
nical Services, the Office of Dis
tribution, the Field Service, staff
functions of the Industry
Evaluation Board and the Office
of Industry and Finance, in
Guiding it's trade association,
commodities and standards and
area development divisions.
The new agency will have 25
industry divisions stated by
business experts from Govern
ment and private industry.
Pending appointment Of an
administrator, it will be headed
by H. B. Mccoy, veteran career
official who was acting admin
istrator to NPA. Secretary
Weeks announced appointment
of three assistant adminiStra-
tors: Samuel N. Comfy of Port
Chester, N. Y, Leonard E. Pasek
of Neenah, Wis.,, and Samuel E..
Crabtree of Cleveland, Ohio. All
are associated with business or
industrial companies.
Designed to Serve Business.
"BDSA is a new consolidated
agency developed for modern
conditions and geared for prac-
tical programs of teamwork be-
tween Government and business
| in serving the best interests of
the people through an organ
lied exchange of timely ideas,
| information and services" Mr..
Weeks explained. "It is pri-
marily an agency designed to
serve business. to promote the
expansion of employment op-
portunities, and in many ways
to stimulate economic growth
and stability.
1T will be q listening post