The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-10-27

Retailers Observe Price
Regulations: Al Serene
Stepping Of ChiseIsrs
Seems 10 be Successful
Bv PETER EDISON
Men On the INSIDE Of the War
Production Boards vast orgsniza-
ton are a. last beginning 70 feel
that wPB h going to town. and
that u the best nsws that comes
cut q washinzton these days
During the summer insiders told
q different off-th<-rccord story.
Then they felt that WIPE was
simply another oPM or sPAB. and
would eventually 20 the same
route to the ashcan and graveyard
Of goofy government agencies But
the story now 10 different The
general feeling h that wPB Boss
Don Nelson has at last determined
what his orKanixAtion should be
md IN his recent moves Of reorg-
anintion has taken steps TO get IT,
Incidentally. Nelson has reveal
I'd that one Of the things that de-
layed his reorganization was the
White House Several months ago
Nelson proposed the appointment
81 General Electric's President
Chaaies =. Wilson ~ vice chair
man Of. WPB In charge Of produe-
ton.
The ida WAS turned down II
was September before the Wilson
appointment could be cleared and
IT, wPB reorganization begun
from tie top down.
Unofficiaily. one or the reasons
that may have held up tie ap-
pointment Of Wilson to wPB may
have been the fact that wPB al
ready had IN . top Job Wilson's
bous. c. rs chairman OF the
board. Philip d. Reed. then chief
a industry branches. Reed got
al involved IN the famous Guthrie
case. In which Reed was charged
with delaying conversion Of pri-
vats industry 10 war production
Nelson backed Reed. but IN the
end Reed va relieved Of his
Warrington Job and sent TO Lon
dan ~ deputy representative Of
tie combined production and ~
sources hoard Of the u. 8. and
Great Britain With Reed out Of
H. picture. the way may have
besn cleared for the Wilson APP
potntment
RETAILERS CONFORMING
Thus tar. there has been no great
rush Of suits filed against retail
srs by citizens seeking TO collect
treble damages or $50. whichever
- greater. for being charged prices
IN excess Of ceilings Get by general
maximum price regulation
This provision Of the Law went
Into effect July 30. six months
AFTER TIE new price law went into
effect- In one Of the first suits. .
man IN Baltimore collected $50
far bang overcharged two cents
On . tube Of toothpaste.
idea Of this seemingly drastic
provision was to stop chiselers. II
was 1t first feared that filing Of
thee suits might become . racket
for shyster lawyers and chronic
nuisance suit filers. but II hasn't
worked out that way.
Conclusion q oPA officials 10
that Observance Of their price
regulations has in general been
extremely good. or else consum-
en- don't take time 10 check
Amazing stof1es commune 70 Pa'e
- O NE slze o. "aSningtons new
rentagon Duiiding' wnlcn . 70 o
army hsaoquarteA Ims week
- soes 70 JOHN = n.ans. %
Anneapohs MIMI VINO came oown
- Wesnington 10 cneck up on tne
woek q - steematters ana tnree
ensnesrs VINO were ins1aiins Ar
s:s.:.s |. ~ .'-
- Ii pa. without trouble Con-
fraetnrs ana engineer officers did
NJ knew where the sfeamfitters
wurs working. but thy knew they
were there. Haine~ went "a the
fourth moor ana walked it, miles
e corridor. inspecting the air
enndIfioninx control instaIlafions
= h went along.