Evening star., 1943-04-02
Bunkheud
Continued From First Page. y

of parity income" to give to pro-
ducers Of basic crops IAN unWar-
ranted bonus at the expense of the
consumer"
Inconsistent With Program.
Mr.. Roosevelt said in returning
the bill to Congress that Il am COM
PEELED to this action by the deep
conviction that this measure is in
flationary in character 1t breaks
down the barriers we have erected
and which we must maintain in
order to avoid the disasters of in
fation. 1t is wholly inconsistent
with our stabilization program and,
therefore, dangerous alike to. our
constructive farm policy and to
our whole war effort t~~.+
Congressional opponents of the
bill have estimated it would add
approximately 81. 500 O0O, 900 to the
Nations annual food bill
Mr.. Roosevelt himself estimated
the bill might swell the cost of liv-
ing more than S per cent and add
more than $1,000 900 900 to the con-
sumers' food budget and several
hundred million dollars to the cost
of feeding the armed forces and
supplying our Allies.
Rising War Costs Seen.
If food prices and wages rise. tn.
Chief Executive declared, the cost
of armaments. ships and planes
necessarily would mount and the
Government would have to borrow
even greater sums to meet the cost
of the war.
He said the farmer is substantially
better off than in the last war but
would not remain so IF we set loose
an inf1ationary tornado
What he called the present rela-
lively favorable position of American
farmers. he said. can be held only if
the general stabilization program
succeeds.
The time has come" Mr.. Roose-
welt declared. when all of us
farmers, workers, managers and in
vestors-must realize that We can
not improve our living standards
in a period of total war. On the
contrary, we must all cut our
standards of living for the dura-
ton we can all have enough
II we do not try to get too much. ;"
Statistics Presented.
Arguing that farm prices have
risen nearly 107 per cent between
August, 1899, and January. 1943, the
President cited statistics showing
that farm income in terms OF pur-
chasing power now is higher than
it has ever been in our history" and
asserted that ''stabilization will pro-
tect that purchasing power" while
imitation will destroy it,
Admitting that despite the general
statistics some farms are not free of
price problems. he said those situa-
tions must be dealt with individually
on their merits, as in the case of
substandard industrial wages, so as
not to "imperil our stabilization pro-
gram by general price or wage in
creaSeS'
Asserting that the farmers pres
ent favorable position can be main
tanned only by success of the general
stabilization program. the President
pointed out that the War Labor
Board lis resolutely adhering to the
little steel formula. which permits
wage increases up Is per cent above
the January, 1941, level to compen-
safe for increased living costs.
WLB Firm on Formula.
He added that the WLB believes
that If the formula is broken now
it will start an inevitable inflation-
ary spiral" and warned that lit
will become impossible to hold this
line If the cost of living is still fur
ther increased-not from imperative
war needs. but by the action Of the
Congress in departing from its de-
clared policy to stabilize all prices
and wages"
Mr.. Roosevelt reviewed legislative
history of parity and price control
acts to establish that it cannot "be
fairly said" that he ignored the
intent of Congress In his October 3
stabilization order directing that ap-
propriate deductions for Govern
ment payments should be made in
computing parity prices.
II know that some members of
the Congress differ with my inter-
probation of the law" he said. Il
credit them with sincerity. I ask
that they credit me with equal
sincerity"