Evening star., 1943-03-06

George Expects ToIks
To Center on. Policy
Of Limiting Profits
| By the Associated Press.
As Price Administrator Brown
made plans to hold policy huddle
with key congressional committees,
these developments were noted on
thte price and rationing front to-
day:
Reports were heard that the Gov
eminent was ready to raise the CELL
ing price on corn;
Grocers were given authority for
emergency purchases of canned,
frozen and dried fruits and vege-
tables;
And Southeastern pulpwood was
placed under price control.
Members of the Senate Banking
and Finance Committees disclosed
that Mr.. Brown had invited them in
for thorough review of price con-
troll. Chairmen George and Wagner
OF the two groups named five men
each to sit in on the session, which
they said probably would air con-
troversles over reported OPA at
tempts 10 control industrial profits
and its various farm price orders,
May Discuss Profit Control
Senator George told reporters he
expected discussion to center around
what ne called a recently employed
OPA policy of attempting to control
industrial profits through price cell.
ings-a move which he has criti-
clzed as likely to harm individual in
ltlative If carried far enough.
Senator Wagner said Brown
wanted to talk over the general
policies of price control, and added
that controversial farm price orders
are likely to be aired also.
Senator George expressed the
opinion that If the senatorial group
found itself in general accord on
| what OPA policies should be, Mr..
Brown could be expected to follow
the wishes of Congress in admin
tstering the law.
Hits Subordinates' Rulings.
Il am quite sure that Mr.. Browns
own individual Interpretation of the
act is not different from that of
most members of Congress" Senator
George said. ''It was our under
standing when we passed the sta
bilization act that we were authoriz-
ing the fixing Of price ceilings to
prevent imitation and not providing
any authority for some subordinate
in the OPA to decide for himself
what Is fair profit and try to en-
force that decision by lowering price
ceilings"
Senator George said he was in
formed some OPA officials, whom
he did not name, had under con-
sideration the lowering of price
ceilings in the cotton, WOODEN and
rayon textile and the wood pulp
industries to curb profits even
though their ceilings are lower
than maximum prices for the prod
ucts at the time the sterilization
act was passed.
Besides Senator'S George and
Wagner, those to attend the Tues
day conference include Senator's
Walsh, Democrat, of Massachusetts,:
BArkley. Democrat, of Kentucky:
La~ Toilette. nrogressive,, of Wis.
c6f1sin, and vAndenberg; Repub-
lican Of Michigan, Of the Finance
EC3pmittee, ana Senators Bank-
head, Democrat,of Alabama; Ma
lol1ey, Democrat, Of Connecticut:
Danaher, Republican. Of Connec-
ticut, and Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
Of the Banking Committee.
May Up Corn Ceilings.
Meanwhile, from authoritative
sources came reports that the corn
price ceiling soon would be raised
from 81 to $1O8 q bushel. Chicago
basis. In a move to ward OF threats
to the Nations milk, beef and
poultry production. These sources
said the Once Of Economic stabili-
zation had decided to authorize
OPA to make the increase after
being told by representatives Of
feeders and feed professors that
. market supply shortage of corn
was threatening milk and livestock
production
In applying to the nearest State
or district OPA ONCE, Wholesale or
retail grocers with inadequate stocks
of rationed goods may receive emer-
gency allotments for additional pur-
chases, OPA said, but warned that
shortages in one or two items does
not constitute an emergency.
Asserting that prices in the
Southeast have been increasing to q
level that is seriously endangering
ceilings on pulp and paper prod
ucts," OPA also established 6O-day
price freeze on pulpwood in Virginia,
North Carolina. South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Arkansas. Louisi-
ana and Texas. Temporarily, the
pulpwood price in those States must
not exceed the highest price charged
by each individual seller In the last
five days up to yesterday.