Evening star., 1941-10-15
Wage Ceiling Held
Fatal 10 Passage
OF Price Control
Bill Doomed in House
If Restrictions Included,
Ford Tells Committee
BY the Associated Press.

|
Representative Thomas F. Ford,
Democrat, of California told fellow
members of the House Banking
Committee, at hearing on price
control legislation today, that "if
you undertake to put ceiling on
wages you can't get the bill through
| the House"
I'VE want a price control bill to
check this imitation spiral" Mr..
Ford declared. IF you inject labor
into this bill you are not going to
have any bill
Earlier. Representative Patman.
| Democrat, of Texas told reporters
he planned to insist that the COM
mittee report out some form OF
price fixing bill at once, even If 1t
is necessary to follow it with sup
Elemental legislation.
Every single witness, believe,
has said price control is needed at
once" said Mr.. Patman. They
have differed on what to control
and on methods of control, but they
all say control is needed now"
Retail Rises FOreseen.
Isador Lubin, commissioner Of
labor statistics. advised the COM
mittee that price rises in retail goods
might be in store as retail prices
have not gone up as fast as COM
modities and raw materials.
Raw material prices are up
tremendously, said Mr. Lubin. "but
the same is not true for finished
goods" He said prices of % basic
commodities on September % were
$50 per cent above August. 1899.
levels, but that the cost of living had
risen only per cent.
Mr.. Lubin cited as examples the
following price trends:
Wool tops between August, 1899.
and September, 194l, went up SIG
per cent and worsted suitings in
creased in cost Ali per cent, while
the retail price of mems worsted
suits went up only 9 per cent.
Raw cotton went up 859 per cent
between August, 1899, and Septem-
Der, l941; percale was up 615 per
cent, and print cloth, 6l4 per cent,
but women's percale dresses, at re-
tail. were up only per cent.
Raw foodstuffs went up 50 per
cent, wholesale prices of processed
foods rose 33 per cent and retail
prices 18 per cent.
Practical Difficulties.
Mr.. Lubin declined to express an
opinion on the legality of placing a
ceiling on wages, but said that las
a practical problem, I don't see the
administrative answer" HIT ex-
planned that one company alone had
10000 different pay rates, which
probably differed from rates other
companies fixed for the same work.
Representative Ford asked Lubin
If putting a ceiling on wages would
stop strikes.
In some instances it might stim-
ulate strikes" Mr.. Lubin replied.
Mr.. Patman, a member of the
committee which has been conduct
ing hearings on price-control legis-
latlon since July, has several times
objected at the hearings to delays.
On his motion the committee will
meet tomorrow in executive ses-
sion to consider the matter.
Seeks Immediate Action.
Il think We should report out
bill at once to control prices of crit
ical materials going into national
defense, such as copper. aluminium
and steel, and then if necessary
consider another bill later. he said.
But something should be done
at once about those things and such
bill ought also include price con-
trolls for imports ard for rents in
defense areas"
Mr.. Patman said he would insist
that II any provisions to AK farm
prices were included in a bill, thev
allow farmers higher returns than
ITO per cent Of parity. Pending ad-
ministration legislation stipulates
that prices on farm products cannot
be fixed at ceiling less than ITO per
cent OF parity. Parity means a re-
turn to give farm products the same
purchasing power that they enjoyed
IN base period, with 1904 used
Tor most basic commodities