The union times., 1943-05-08

labor and IS consumer groups have appealed to President Roosevelt to personally inter- cede in behalf of hard-pressed housewives and curb prOfteer- ing by rolling back retail prices to the levels of May Is, l942. They insisted the entire control program was in jeOp- ardy.
 Declaring food costs have doubled in the past two years, Secretary Treasurer George Meany of the American Feder- alton of Labor warned the President that his failure to act may mean widespread mal- nutrition.
 Prices are SO high, he declared, that many essential foods are be- yond the reach of the average fam iIy's pocketbook.
 Meany appealed to the President after the Office of Price Adminis- tration had closed the door of hope of relief in that quarter.
 The best that Administrator Prentiss M. Brown was willing to promise was that prices would not be permitted to go higher.
 Brown acknowledged that liv- ing costs had actually Outpaced the Bureau of Labor Statistics cost of living index, which he said failed to reflect price chiseling and black market activity.
 FEARS FOR MERCHANTS
 Nevertheless, he said, it would be impossible except in few cases to roll back prices, contending this would put the Squeeze" on merchants and might force some out of business.
 The most disquieting feature of Browns statement was con- firmatiOn of reports that he had surrendered to the pressure of the canners' lobby and would not enforce grade labelling.
 He favored the principle and would like to see it enforced, he said, but doubted he had the legal authority to go through with 1t.
 Brown said he deeply resented the feeling on the part of consumer organ izationS that all business men are thieves and cheats" According to the official organ of the canning industry, there are enough thieves and cheats" to make farce of price control unless kept in check by O.P.A. The honest element in the industry, the publica- ton asserted, favors grade labelling.
 The Standard Railroad Labor Or ganizations and other groups which have been urging Brown to safeguard consumers, contend that labelling is just as essential to protect the honest manufacturers as housewives.
 Browns backdown is surprising in view of the fact that he stated just a few weeks ago that enforce ment of ceiling prices would be inn possible unless manufacturers were required to reveal the contents of containers.
 O'CONNOR PROTESTS
 Browns decision on grade label ing brought a bitter protest from Congressman James F. O'Connor (Dem., Mont.). I'm letter to the price chieftain, the Montana sOlon declared:
 ''I am sure you must have had your attention called many, many times to the pernicious and reprehensible prac- tice, prevalent in the canning and liquor industries, of substituting a name brand for some fly-by-night brand and then selling it to the con- sumer at higher price.
 elf grade labelling is done away with much of the stuff that is being dished out to an un- suspecting public now is going to be even worse in quality and is going to sell for an even higher price.
 "To me the canner's opposition to grade labelling is incomprehensible. Ii is simply a subterfuge on their part to be legally able to put out even more inferior stuff than they are now put ting out. The deal is such bare-faced giveaway that anyone can see through it. Grade labelling is the public's only guarantee that it is not being cheated"
 Appealing to Brown not to "lend your good name and office to policy that will enable selfish money-grabbers to profit at the ex- pense of the consumer" OCOnnOr took a sharp cut at "the highland ed and fragrant abuses of their position on the part of some of your employees"
 q refer," he said, specifically to those employees on your payroll whose job it is to codify and administer, but have usurped greater power to deter mine policy. I would point out to you that you, and not they, are going to be held to account by the American people,"