Evening star., 1941-08-02
Rent and Commodity
Price Fixing Bill Hits
Snags in Congress
Legislators Soy Plan
Would Put Formers
AT q Disadvantage

A price-f1xing bill which would al.
feet every American pocketbook be-
gan running into objections today
Immediately after its introduction
in Congress.
The legislation, presented in both
the Senate and House yesterday.
would authorize the President to fix
price ceilings for commodities and
rents. but would give him no au-
thority over wages or utility rates,
and would grant special treatment
to farm commodities. Regardless of
the latter concession, some Farm
State legislators expressed discon-
tent with the measure as it stood.
The bill designates the price level
on last July % as one to which the
Chief Executive should give due
consideration" in fixing other price
lists. The President, however. could
make adjustments to compensate
for speculative fluctuations, changes
in cost of production or transporta-
ton and similar factors.
Farm Senators Dissa tisfied.
He would be empowered to estab-
lish price ceilings, to fix rents In
designated defense areas where
rents had increased 10 per cent since
last August 81. to eliminate and
prevent profteering" and to protect
persons with relatively fixed and
| limited incomes" He could require
licenses for engaging in transac-
tions covered by the measure, except
that he could not compel licenses
for distribution Of newspapers,
periodicals, books and other printed
| matter.
Although sponsors of the bill made
a last-minute concession to the farm
/ bloc, Senators from agricultural
! States indicated they were not sat
/ isfied. The farm provision would
prohibit the President from estab-
fishing any price ceiling below ITO
per cent of parity prices, or below
the market price last July %.
PARTY prices are such as
would give farmers the equiva-
lent income from their products,
in terms of other commodities, as
the products would have brought
during a designated base period,
in most cases, l909-l4)
Agriculture spokesmen had urged
a minimum of 120 per cent of par
ity.
Long Hearings Seen.
One farm State leader, asking
anonymity, told reporters that on
its face, the measure appeared to put
the farmer at a disadvantage in his
efforts TO obtain "a fair share" of the
national income.
Both critics and sponsors agreed
that long hearings on the measure
would be necessary. Chairman Stea-
gall of the House Banking Commit
tee arranged tentatively to start
hearings on the bill Monday and
Senate leaders said the House prob
ably would act first.
Senator Taft, Republican. of Ohio
would offer an amendment to re-
quire that the legislation be admin
istered by board. The bill as in
troduced would permit the President
to delegate the price-fXlng author
ity to some subordinate, presumably
Leon Henderson. Mr.. Henderson
has headed the administration s
price control agency, which has been
operating thus far without specific
statutory authority.
Emergency Measure.
In statement outlining the price
measure, Senate Majority Leader
Barkley and Representative Steagall
said that it was strictly an emer-
gency measure, designed to meet
the threat of imitation and to check
the rising cost of living"
The legislation provides maximum
fines up to $1,000 for violation of
price-control orders plus imprison-
ment up to one year. or both. 1t
also would set up an emergency
Court of Appeals to which sellers
could appeal price regulations, The
court would be composed of three
Federal district or Court of Appeals
judges designated by the Chief
Justice of the United States.
Representative Steagell disclosed
that the bill contained no provision
for control of installment buying.
although there had been persistent
reports that efforts to agree on some
provision of that sort had delayed
introduction of the legislation.