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Show ; 'n WASHINGTON -' :' WNU Corrsipomftnf JVNU Washington Burtaii 621 Union Trust Building Peace Brings Problems "17"HAT was expected to be a short time of comparative relaxation re-laxation with the congress in recess here In Washington, turned out to be a period of tenseness and solemnity, sol-emnity, punctuated by one wild hilarious Victory celebration. Now, with congressmen back from their shortened vacation, everything i3 bustle and activity to cope with the expected emergency due to sudden peace. What was predicted to happen has happened. The end of the Jap war came before congress expected it would come, and the country finds itself in the predicament of unpre- I paredness for peace and reconver- sion. While plans for reconversion on all the home fronts will occupy the minds of congress and heads of governmental gov-ernmental units here, there is one factor the members of congress learned about out in their home towns during their vacation. It will have ah important bearing upon what they do, and how soon, toward preparing the nation for peacetime economy. And that important factor is impatience In the minds of the American people. Leaders here see ahead a public sentiment which will brook no fumbling at the hands of congress. During wartime the people have remained re-mained as a unit, held in check by the spirit of patriotism. But the small gripes and irritations which the people stood for in wartime will develop into full-blown bellows in peacetime, since the general public is pretty well fed up on restrictions and regimentation. Members of congress found out that this spirit is rampant. They also found out from returning veterans that they are ready to take their places in civilian ranks, eager and willing to say just what they think. They know what they wrant, and in all probability some 7,000,000 or 8,000,-000 8,000,-000 of them will be home by this time next year, ready to play their part in the 1946 elections. And that part may be troublesome to some congressmen. Only Small Slump Whatever the congress does to ease the nation into a peacetime peace-time economy with as little a jolt as possible, leaders here ' see months of uncertainty, with at least some unemployment, some idle factories fac-tories ahead. They do not expect a downswing comparable to the depression de-pression of the early 1930s. As a matter of fact, there may be no more unemployment than there was in 1938 and 1939 before we entered the war and the nation became geared to wartime production. But whatever happens, there will be labor la-bor dislocations during the fall and winter months which will lower pur- -chasing power and cause considerable consider-able lag in peacetime production. The first thing President Truman wants from congress is the power to reorganize and streamline the governmental gov-ernmental agencies. Immediately upon his return from Potsdam, the President sharply reversed the policy poli-cy of Chairman Krug of the WPB, who was inclined to let industry indus-try scramble for itself. So WPB will continue to allocate materials and machines to civilian industries with the idea of making as many jobs as possible. The President also wants action on the full-employment bill, and on his recommendation for emergency unemployment compensation compen-sation for workers laid off due to war cut-backs. War orders were cut overnight about $33,000,000,000, more than one-half the total, and the heaviest hit were the airplane and ship - building industries. In other words, war orders, which have been amounting to approximately $45,000,-000,000 $45,000,-000,000 annually, will be reduced to $10,000,000,000 by January, 194C. Labor's Demands The powerful labor lobby already is busy demanding of congress the full-employment bill; the bill raising minimum wages from 45 to 65 cents an hour; a permanent fair employment employ-ment practice committee; the Murray Mur-ray Missouri Valley authority measure meas-ure and additional valley authorities on other rivers; the Wagner-Murray amendments to the social security act; the bill providing for allotments and improvements of feeder highways; high-ways; the airport improvement bill backed by the CAA; the 'equal pay bill for women; and a national housing hous-ing program. It is also urging the government to indorse the principle of the guaranteed annual wage. Agriculture has some 20 bills in the congressional hopper, but the department de-partment of agriculture will place its heaviest backing In favor of the school lunch bill; the Flanagan bill to combine farm credit and farm security se-curity agencies into an independent agency; the Lucas REA bill, but minus the Shipstead amendment which makes REA an Independent agency; the Langer bill taking the lid off size of debts which the department de-partment may adjust; the Missouri Valley authority bill, and the Aiken food allotment bill similar to the old food stamp plan measure. |