Potomac
Tostscripts
4?- LYNNE M. LAMM, [New C o n g r e s s e x p e e l e d t o e o t i e i M i l r a t e o n l a \ a n < l l a b o r l e g i s l a t i o n , to e x p l o r e activities o f w a r ae s e n t t o i n d u s t r y ΠΡιικιη·; is no millennium in si^liT, al though m u c h of t h e speculation heard iround Wïishington right n o w seems n. poim t h a t way. T h e explanation probahly is that tlu» change which the publie generally anticipated at t h e time Mr. T r u m a n inherited t h e White House, and which did not materialize, is now dofinitely hore, in the shape of a clumped House and Senate. T h e speculation, of course, is in what these new groups will do with their power in the k i t h Congress. T a k i n g second wind, some of the speculation is sounding amoru cautious note. However, there is;·, strong school of thought h e r e which believes t h e changes now evident should noi Ixi discounted too greatly. The new Congress will have ample power to put in effect such laws as it deems uppropri.Mli· to put t h e Republican program in efl'oet. Early indications point t o first preoccupation with labor and t a x legislation, probably i n the reverse order to that stated. T h e new chairman, of t h e liousf Ways and Means "Committee will U· Representative Knutson, of Minnesota, who h a s been challenged by opposing; groups on his claim t h a t t a x e s can be cut 2 5 % . I t is natural t o expect him to pick up the challenge, a n d at least produce a bill carrying out his ideas. If this is too extreme, it, probably will be toned dawn by amendments or he hindscenes smoothing over. Labor leaders' initial comments t h a t the new Congress won't do a n y more than the preceding sessions are regarded as whistling in the dark b y others here. T h e new Congress can g o pretty far on its present momentum. T h e labor strength is in t h e big industrial centers, a n d if the r a n k and file of voters there had been following t h e line laid down for t h e m b y their big organization leaders, the pies-" e n t result m i g h t not now b e in evidence. T h e labor leaders a r e probably right t o t h e extent t h a t legislation expected t o be introduced will not h i t the run-of-mill labor union m a n too hard. I t probably will be aimed a t higher levels t o correct situations such a s the recent politically shaded coal strike threat, among ot hers. T h e day of plant seizures a n d similar actions undoubtedly is over, also. Another big field of early activity probably is going to be exploring the operations V O L U M E
2 4,
NO.
22»
•>f rerUtiti war agencies and controls. The whoh' story there has never come out, :ii least not in t h e light, it is going to show in now. There is nothing startling in this prospect, at least to seasoned Washington observers. T h e pa allel is very close to t he post World War I era in that respect. Only there is. of course, a much bigger field for operations, and some much fancier -it nations. As one final generalization, war agencies arc; going to have an increasingly difficult time to maintain controls. Some of the talk here goes further and says the agencies will have all they can do just to maintain their existence. For some agencies t his is undoubtedly true. In any case, ι heir scope will be materially altered by the reduced appropriations. As to regular departments, their activi ties will be subject to congressional coinmittees chairmaned by opposition mem bers of Congress. T h i s automatically puts a brake on their outlook. I n short, there are certain changes here, which automati cally follow an election. Strategic Stocks
Material liquidated
H e a v y liquidation of wartime h o l d i n g «>f strategic materials is coupled with re viving imports of former scarce commodi ties, largely from enemy countries or area.held by them in t h e war. In addition to shipments of pharmaceuticals and special quality papers from J a p a n recently announced, the Recon struction Finance Corp. now states it will sell on a sealed bid basis, approximately 500 cases of Japanese vegetable wax, of Kitagumi or Chikusan brands. Each case weighs 224 lb. net. This wax has been im ported from J a p a n to this country through the government subsidiary, U. S. Commer cial Co., which also has been instrumental in obtaining certain German goods. The wax will be sold in lots of 50 cases. T h e Commercial Co. is likewise sell ing 100 metric t o n s of German Schippach Dunkelblau clay. On t h e liquidation side, this agency is offering for sale, for the joint United Spates-United Kingdom ac count, the balance of stocks of chrome ore left in Turkey from the wartime preclusive buying operations, amountbig to approxi mately 63,000 long tons. War Assets Administration has dis
NOVEMBER
2 5,
1946
posed i*f live synthetic ammonia plants earlier (.declared surplus b y the War De p a r t m e n t and other owning agencies. Two of these were sold arid three leased. Two ot Tiers, the Cactus a n d Ohio River ordnam-e plants, held by t h e W a r Depart ment, havo k e n withdrawn from surplus for thet ime h n n g , and are operating in the Army fertiliser production program. These two m a y agïiin be declared surplus, upon easing o f the fertilizer shortage, it is now indicated. ΛΙκο probably to be declared surplus are hvo others, one a t Mo*gantown, W . Vn., a n d t h e Missouri Ordnance Works Lit Louisiana, Mo. Disposition o f war plants and other liquidât ion of w a r activities is, of course, now under close, scrutiny a n d will continue so." Tfciere arc signs t h a t War Assets Administration is anxious to got the bulk nf its jol) out of t h e way. Establishment of a Rubber Plants and Facilities Branch, to dispose of some GO surplus plants producing raw materials, synthetic rubber, and other al lied products, has "been announced. This Irraudi is instructed to work with priva to industry in accomplishing its assignment. Actually, some of the plants have y e t to be declared surplus, but probably \vi 11 he in t h e near future, as t h e natural ruHber supply improves. Fewer Ootrentment QuestioiULtiir&s to Indies try One current activity t h a t undoubtedly will ha~vu sympathetic t r e a t m e n t i n t o the new C'engross deals with govei. .nent qiiestionimirws to business and industry. Whetlner it will continue under the same auspices is uncertain, but it is reasonably evident: thai, t h e new Congress will not tolerato indiscriminate circularizing of private- business by any and all government a generics f o r statistical purposes. In tl îe past y e a r a number of new forms for seriding out to industry were occasioned L>y recoil version, price adjustments, the ho-usin^ program, and preparation of statistics on manufacturing and the retail t rades. The declining trend of government controls o n all forms of business and industry probably will b o reflected in a natural drop in the mumber of forms going out, entirely apart, iïom, any enforced curtailment. Scient:ijic
lixpzcfrt
Association
Formation o f the United States Scientific Cxport Association, with offices in Wilmington, Del., and New York, under the Webb-lOmereiie Export Trade Act, is announced. It will deal with export of technical, chemical, and other equipment. 3009
