Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-08
Republican Senators
Critical Of Report on
Control Of Initiation
BY the Associated press

Administration claims to have
held the line" against imitation
for the last year drew cheers
from Senate Democrats today,
but Republican scorekeepers
charged serious fumbles on wage
controls and price subsidies.
Senate Majority Leader Barley
termed optimism that is justified"
report by heads of the Offices of
Economic Sterilization, Price Ad-
ministration, War Food Administra-
ton and the War Labor Board
which said prices and wages have
been kept stable since President
Roosevelt's hold-the-lin order was
issued year ago today.
With less enthusiasm, Acting
Minority Leader White commented
that the four officials Recommend
themselves and their work pretty
highly"
While there was general agree
ment that the Price Control Act
would be extended for another year,
Senator Butler, Republican, of Ne
braska renewed demands for aboli-
ton OF consumer food price sub
sides.
Taft Questions Figures.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
also argued that a steady increase
In labor costs and uncontrolled raw
materials lis driving many small
businessmen out of business and
bringing about black markets"
Senator Taft commended that the
assertion that actions of the WLB
had raised the level of basic factory
wage rates less than IL cents an
hour did not tell the whole story.
He said pay actually taken home by
workers and hourly wage rates both
have increased over per cent in IL
months.
Declaring the act might work
better during the next year if a
prohibition were adopted eliminat-
ing consumer subsidies" Senator
Butler said:
I'm sure the people would rather
pay little more for food now than
have to pay it later in taxes for
subsidies"
Danaher Cites Labor Claims.
Senator White said he believes
price control must be continued, but
he hoped "the Senate Banking
Committee can suggest to us amend
ments and procedure less annoying
and less burdensome and at the
same time more effective"
Senator Danaher, Republican, of
Connecticut, member of the COM
m1ttee, said the joint letter of the
Sterilization chiefs clearly is at
odds with the views expressed" by
President William Green of the
American Federation of Labor,
Philip Murray, head of the CLIO,
and other spokesman for organized
labor who definitely assert that
there has been an increase in living
costs in the past year."
AS for changes in existing con-
trolls, Senator Danaher suggested a
need for adequate provisions for
court review in proper cases on ad-
ministrative rulings.
More Leeway Sought.
Senator Barley said there was a
general but informal agreement in
the committee that penalty provi-
sions of the Price Control Act should
be changed to give the Federal
courts more leeway in fixing penal
ties. At present, the law provides
mandatory fines of three times the
amount involved in price infrac-
tons. Senator Barley said Price
Administrator Chester Bowles did
not oppose modification of that pre-
vision.
Senator Bridges, Republican, of
New Hampshire believed the law
would be continued without ma
lor change" saying there was a
wide discrepancy" between the re-
ports claim of a stabilized living
cost and organized labor statistics
showing 43 per cent price rise, but
added: I'm happy the line has been