BRIEFS Synthetic Liquid Fuels. The Bureau of Mines has received a long-awaited report on the estimated cost of manufacturing synthetic liquid fuels by the hydrogénation of coal. T h e bureau made its own estimates over a year ago, but the results were not confirmed b y a study carried out by the National Petroleum Council. To try to resolve the matter, the Bureau of Mines contracted with Ebasco Services, Inc., of N e w York, to make a further analysis. Details of the Ebasco report will be available in the near future. Federal Education Probe. The House Education and Labor Committee plans to investigate federal expenditures for education, which totaled at least $3.6 billion in 1950, a total almost equal to that spent on the entire public school system. About $2.9 billion of the total was spent on veterans' educational programs. The U. S. Office of Education, which is responsible for federal educational activities, actually administers only about 1% of the total funds. W a t e r Pollution. The House has approved a cut of $800,000 in the funds for federal grants t o local communities for water pollution control. The Senate has not yet acted on the measure. W a g e Stabilization. An investigation of the operation of the W a g e Stabilization Board was approved by the House Rules Committee. Defense Production Act. The Senate Banking Committee has informally approved a one-year extension of the D e fense Production Act in essentially the same form as the existing law. T h e act is not being strengthened as requested by President Truman. The Senate is scheduled to consider the measure as this issue goes to press. Alien Property. A subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee has been granted $100,000 to conduct an investigation of the operation of the Office of Alien Property. Sen. Wiley (R.-Wis.) has charged that this office, which is responsible for disposing of seized alien property, has become a "super gravy train" for friends of the administration. Coal Exports. Allocation and licensing of coal exports required since Nov. 1, 1951, ended April 1. Lowered foreign requirements and easing of the shipping shortages and port congestion in the U. S. are the main reasons for the move. Minimum W a g e . The Labor Department proposes to revise minimum wages for the small arms, explosives, and related products industry. The present minimum rate for the entire industry is 75 cents an hour. T h e proposed rate is $1.05, $1.20, and $1.12 for small arms, explosives, and blasting and detonating caps branches, respectively. The rates will apply only to work on government contracts in excess of $10,000 entered into after April 20.
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