Evening star., 1942-09-10

and the Navy.
Implied in the provisions of
the Constitution are great pow-
ers in the event of a war emer-
gency. The present Congress and
its predecessors have voted un-
usual powers to the Chief Exec
utive IN time of war, or other
emergency.
The Presidents present insist
ence he will make use of the
war power to control farm prices,
If Congress does not take further
action, was bound to bring the
charge he was about to make
himself dictator" Few, how
ever, will defend the progress of
imitation in this country.
1t is a foregone conclusion that
unless action is taken by Con-
gress or the President, imitation
is just what the people will face.
A period of tremendously in
creased costs of living, plus the
heaviest taxation the people ever
have experienced, would be dis
astrous. If President, by the
exercise of unusual powers in
time of war, undertakes to pre-
vent such a disaster, who will
say he is not acting In the inter-
ests of the country?
No Reason Not to Act.
Congress is in position to
act. There is no good reason
on earth why it should not act.
Political partisanship should go
into the discard.
The other charge against the
President-that of favoring la
Dor as group-has more sub
stance. To the run-of- the mine
citizen, and member of Congress,
too, there seems no justification
for declining to enact legisla-
ton dealing with wages, while
the prices of agricultural prod
ucts and all manufactured goods
into which the costs of labor go
are to be controlled by law.
The President has promised
that he himself will use his war
powers to deal with the wages of
labor. When there was a clamor
against ever increasing wages
and the strikes and work stop
pages that went with the de-
mands of labor for more pay
not long ago-the President set
up a War Labor Board. It's duty
also was to stabilize wages.
Wages increases have gone right
ahead, however, and the strikes
have been too many, despite the
promise of stabilization made by
the administration.
Undoubtedly strenuous fight
will be made in Congress to have
written into the law the same
controls over wages as over farm
prices. II the law is to be fiex-
ible measure, giving the Presi-
dent himself authority to act in
the matter of farm prices, there
will be a demand that the law
also contain similar powers for
the President to deal with wages.
There is sense in that.
Labor Protest Seen.
Organized labor, in all proba-
bility, will roar like a wounded
bull if any effort of that kind is
made in Congress.
Since the President did not
propose in his message to Con-
gress or his radio address to the
people that the new law cover
wages of labor. it is to be pre-
sumed that he does not wish
such legislation. That, however,
does not mean that Congress
would not be entirely justified in
writing in such provisions.
An election is in the immediate
offing. The so-called labor vote
and the so-called farm vote are
of huge Importance to members
of Congress seeking reelection.
Whether the Congress-and the
administration itself-will let
the chips fall as they will in
drafting this new legislation
against imitation and the rising
cost Of living, and seek only the
desired end, is a question vital
to the people as a whole.