Evening star., 1943-04-09
Roosevelt P|an5
Ceiling on All
Commodities
Action Follows Order
On Wage Freezing
To Halt InfIution
ROOSEVELT STATEMENT and ex-
ecutive order texts on page AZ.
BY J. A. FOX.

BY J. A. FOX.
President Roosevelt said today
lar-and-cents price ceilings
will be established on all cost-of-
living commodities as they have
on meats under the policy out
lined in his new price-wage
order.
At the same time, James F. Byrnes,
director of Economic Sterilization,
who attended the Presidents press
conference, said the Office of Price
Administration was working out a
new schedule of prices that might
be ready tomorrow. adding that the
same administrative procedure
would be followed as in the past
with prices posted where they can
be seen by purchasers.
The Presidents new order, which
holds wages to the little steel"
formula level and establishes ad-
ditional controls over commodities,
was issued last night. and the dis
cussion of its provisions came at
the press conference today, where
Mr. Roosevelt described it as an
effort to prevent ups and downs in
the Nations economy and get on
more stable basis.
Livestock Under Order.
Mr. Byrnes said that it might be
necessary to fix the prices of cost
of living commodities that are not
sold at retail if the costs are reflect
ed in the retail price.
He agreed with a questioner that
livestock was one Of these.
The President said the whole
stabilization problem resembles a
legged stool
Food prices are one leg, wages an
other, rationing third and taxa
ton and saving are the fourth, he
said.
An effort is being made, he added,
to prevent ups and downs and to get
on a more even level. using all four
legs to prevent the stool from falling
over.
His executive order was step in
that direction. he said, but Congress
still has to provide the fourth leg,
taxes and savings.
Asked whether 6,00000O,00 is
still the administrations goal on new
revenue, AS mentioned in his budget
message to Congress- Mr. Roosevelt
said it is the administration hope.
Emphasizes Buying Power.
The President laid particular en-
phasis on the problem of holding
down purchasing power, illustrating
his argument by telling of visitor
who said that his wife was COM
planning because asparagus was 81 so
a bunch This man, the President
added. is a skilled machinist, and he
said he had asked the man when he
was ever able to buy fresh asparagus
before at this time of year. He de-
clared he had also asked the work.
man if he had had any winter straw
berries and when answered in the
affirmative. asked when that had
happened before.
So many people have great deal
more money than they ever had be-
fore and that is one of the prob
lens that must be met as a part of
a successful anti-inf1ation program
the President said
The President was asked if Mr..
Byrnes had any more powers than
previously inasmuch as the new eX-
ecutive order which provides for
price adjustments shall be subject
to his directives.
Borderline Cases.
The President asked Mr.. Byrnes
to answer that question, and the di-
rector said he knew of no material
increases in his authority except
insofar as borderline and hardship
cases involving rulings of the OPA
and the Food Administration.
The President was asked if he had
decided yet what to do about signing
the legislation which nullifies his
order limiting salaries to s25 900 after
taxes. He said no. that he still had
"a hours to worry about this provi-
sion which is a rider to the debt
extension bill
Mr. Byrnes also was asked whether
Manpower Chairman Paul " Nc
Mutt has greater powers under the
new order which prevents job shift
ing merely to obtain higher wages,
and he said that there was greater
authority because the new order is
based on the sanction of the Price
Control Act of october 2.
Rationing "Leeway."
In connection with rationing. Mr..
Roosevelt suggested it should be
applied with what might be called a
leeway. since prices might have to
be changed from time to time, de-
pending on scarcity or plenty. He
indicated, too, that the question of
determining specific food prices