The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-07-25
HOLDING PRICES DOWN

Pity the poor price administrator.
He is Leon Henderson, very earn
est and sincere gentleman, who Is
working for all of US, for we are all
consumers. But If we have some
thing to sell he is likely to be AGAIN.
st us, for his is voice crying In the
wilderness: Keep the prices down.
The head of OPACS (Office of Price
Administration and Civilian Supply
ia extremely fearful that If prices
start going up widely the vicious
spiral will set in, and the country
will be hit by infiation-and ruina-
ton.
Mr.. Henderson's attempted feat
calls up that familiar old cartoon
used in every political campaign
showing a circus rider standing on
the backs of two horses which are
about to start in opposite directions
Mr.. Henderson's horses are prices
and wages. He has really no con-
troll over wages, but his official SUI
periors have encouraged them In an
inward swing. They have settled
practically all strikes by granting
wage increases. 1t is natural for the
other horse, Prices, to go the same
way. but Henderson is doing his
hest to rein him in, though he read
ilv admits that the cost of living is
bound to go up.
Prices of practically everything,
however. have been going right on
IN. Wheat and oats reached the
best levels since 1887; corn, soy
beans and lard were highest for four
wears: cotton highest in IL years,
cottonseed oil highest in Is years
and SO on through the list OF farm
commodities. congressman worked
for these price advances, and every
time Henderson tried to call malt
he was called up on the carpet by
irate Congressmen who demanded
to know where he got his authority.
His authority has been mostly NOR
al. but he expects to get a price
control law eventually.
Among the manufacturers he got
a first rebuff from the Chrysler Au-
tomobile makers when he asked all
car makers to take back their an
: nounced price increases. He was
next defied by the furniture manu-
facturers, and for the same reasons.
Manufacturers asserted that mater
ials, wages and taxes had all in
creased, and their selling prices had
to be increased also.
The plain fact is that Government
defense spending has put much mon
ey into the hands of many people,
and they are buying goods at rap
idly increasing rate. 1t is estimated
that individual incomes for the year
will reach the high of $S5, 00O,OOO,-
900, as compared with $76,OOO,OOO,-
900 last year. Retail sales are ID
per cent above last year. Biggest
increases of buying are in the lux
ury" lines, like automobiles, jew
els, radios and SO on.
Things like these, Mr.. Henderson
holds, may have to be "rationed".
He does not want to see them go to
those with the longer pocketbook,
and feels that certain minimum
per capita consumption may have to
be enforced. If that results in more
money on hand for individuals 1t
can be quickly and helpfully turned
into defense bonds and saving GER
tificates. Congress has already been
felt out on price control (not price
fxing) legislation, but outside OF ar
ticles needed for defense, over which
price ceilings have been fixed, there
is a hesitancy to take definite step
euntil a definite policy has been au-
thorized." The Patnnnder.