The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-09
Wages, Prices, Jobs
 Affected By Orders
President Roosevelt Takes Drastic Action Under War Powers Act to Halt InAation-StabiIi- zation Director Given Discretion
 ary Authority on Wide Scope.

The text of President Roosevelt's drastic "Hold-the-Line" order is- sued unexpectedly last evening in Washington reads as follows:
 By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes, and particularly by the first war powers act, 1941, and the act of Oct. 2, 1942, en- titled "an act to amend the emer- gency price control act of 1922, to aid in preventing imitation, and for other purposes" as President of the United States and conl- mander- n-chief of the Army and Navy, and in order to safe- guard the Stabilization of prices, wages and salaries, affecting the cost of living on the basis of levels existing on Sept. IS, l942, as au- thorized and directed by said act of Congress of Oct. 2. 1942, and executive order of Oct. 3, 1922, and to prevent increases in wages, salaries, prices and profits, which however justifiable if viewed apart from their effect upon the economy, tend to undermine the basis of stabilization, and to pro- vide such regulations with respect to the control of price. wage and salary increases as are necessary to maintain stabilization, 1t is hereby ordered as follows:
 Ceiling Prices
 1. Tn the case of agricultural commodities the price administra- tor and the administrator of food production and distribution (here- after referred to as the food ad-. ministrator) are directed, and in the case of other commodities the price administrator is direct cd to take immediate steps to place ceiling prices on all com- nodies affecting the cost of liv- ing. Each of them is directed to authorize no further increases in ceiling prices except to the min- imum extent required by law. Each of them is further directed immediately to use all discretion ary powers vested in them by law to prevent further price increases direct or indirect. to prevent prof iteering and to reduce prices which are excessively high, url- fair or negotiable. Nothing here in, however, shall be construed to prevent the food administrator and the price administrator, sub- ject to the general policy direc- tives of the economic Stabilization director, from making such read- justments in price relationships appropriate for various commodi- ties, or classes, qualities or grades thereof or for seasonal variations or for various marketing areas. or from authorizing such support prices, subsidies or other induce ments as may be authorized by law and deemed necessary to maintain or increase production, provided that such action does not increase the cost of living. The power, functions and duties con- ferred on the secretary of agri- culture under section 3 of the emergency price control act of l042 (pub!ic law 42l. T7th CongD and under section 3 of the act of oct. 3, le42 lpublic law 729, 77th Cong.) gre hereby transferred to. and shall be exercised by the food administrator.
 Wages Frozen"
 3. The National War Labor Board, the commissioner of in- ternal revenue and other agencies exercising authority conferred by executive orded 0260 or executive order o20e and the regulations is- sued pursuant thereto over wage or salary increases are directed to authorize no further increase in wages or salaries except such as are clearly necessary to correct sub. b.Standards of living. provided that nothing herein shali be con- strucd to prevent such agencies