Evening star., 1942-01-30
Price Control
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pound! soybeans, s1.53 and 65 cents
h11She1


Continued From First Page0
pound! soybeans, s1.53 and 65 cents
a bushel.
Made Honest Woman?
Smilingly, as he announced he
had signed the bill, Mr.. Roosevelt
said Mr.. Henderson had remarked
in recommending that 1t be signed.
that 1t made an honest woman out
Of him. Mr.. Roosevelt said he had
told Mr.. Henderson it also made
an honest woman out of the Chief
Executive.
The legislation, he went on, gives
congressional authorization for cer-
tain things inherent in a war situa-
ton. Referring to memorandum
supplied him by Mr.. Henderson, the
President said the bill provided
another valuable tool to use with
others, such as savings, taxation and
rationing. to control imitation. He
did not explain how these supple
mentary tools were to be employed.
Mr.. Roosevelt described the frame
work of the bill as good, since, he
said, 1t fixes responsibility in one ad-
ministrator and provides for a work
able administrative procedure. He
expressed approval of enforcement
provisions including those providing
for licensing of people subject to the
act and permissive authority to re-
sort to criminal proceedings and
injunctions. He noted also that
consumers might bring damage
suits If they felt they were being
gouged on prices.
Indorses Rent Section.
Mr.. Roosevelt Endorsed sections
designed to allow the stabilizing of
rents and also said that provisions
permitting the Government to buy
and sell farm commodities were
useful
The maximum price provisions. in
relation to many commodities, are
good, Mr.. Roosevelt went on. In
general. he said, the price of COM
modities will be based on prices pre-
vailing in the first half of October,
194l, with some adjustments for
various factors.
But, in criticizing the sections
dealing with farm products, the
President said it had been hoped the
legislation would be in such form
the Government could seek an aver
age of parity.
The ITO per cent goal of the bill
is threat to living costs, he said,
especially because parity is not
fixed amount but a relationship be-
tween non-agricultural and agricul-
tural costs. AS the cost of living
goes up, he said, parity goes up, and
so does the extra 10 per cent.
On Buying and Selling.
Mr. Roosevelt responded af-
firmatively to an inquiry whether
the buying and selling provisions
of the measure did not offer a fair
way of combating the situation.
1t depends on the particular case,
he said in reply to another question,
whether the Government would
have to make 1t purchases at ITO
per cent Of parity.
isn't there q provision to forbid
buying and selling to control
prices?" a reporter wanted to know.
The President referred the ques-
ton to Mr.. Henderson, who re-
marked there was no bar on opera
tions of the Commodity Credit Corp.
When he was asked whether a
misunderstanding between Mr.. Hen
derson and Secretary Of Agriculture
Wickard had been Strengthened out,
Mr.. Roosevelt said there was not
so much controversy in that field.
Mr.. Henderson added that he ex-
pected to see Secretary Wickard to-
day.
Other provisions of the bill:
Maximum rents may be fixed for
any defense housing area, with
rents since April /, 1941, serving as
a standard. (Some areas, such as
the District of Columbia, have their
own rent terms and are not af-
fected)
Business affected by the price Or
ders may be licensed and this IL
cense taken away in court for a
second offense after warning on a
first offense.
Heavy Penalties Provided.
Violations OF price ceilings and
regulations may bring penalties up
to $4,000 fine and two years in jail.
The price administrator may buy
or sell commodities in order to in
fuence prices for increased pro-
duction.
Persons charged more than price
ceilings may sue for triple damages
or $50, whichever is larger.
Wages and salaries were exempted.
Also exempted were newspapers and
other periodicals, radio, motion pic
lures and theaters, railroads and
other utilities, insurance and pro-
fessional fees.
Appeals from price ceilings or
regulations may be made first to
the administrator, then to a spe-
cial emergency court composed Of
Federal Judges and finally to the
Supreme Court.
Once of Price Administration Of
ficials said nothing sweeping or
radical" in the way Of new price
ceilings need be expected immedi-
ately.
The effect on the consumer will be
negligible for the time being. they