The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-12-05
Observations
Prices to Remain
Unchanged After
Victory in Europe
BY HELEN EssARY

uncertainty. the Administration s
priee-wage policy. for We (Nictory
in Europe) day and after is begin
ming to emerge. The outline looks
like this:
Prices are to be nailed down
where they are by iron-fisted con
trolls until a return 10 civilian pro
duction has restored normal sup
ply-demand relationship in each
price-controlled commodity.
2@General wage increases a.e to
be ia 200 until a relaxation OF war
production after VE-day knocks out
great chunks of overtime and dras-
tically reduces the total take
home" wages OF workers.
This will mean, so far as prices
are concerned, that every effort
will be made to keep prices where
they are while controls are in
effect. Then controls will be relax
ed. and prices will be allowed 10
find their own level, commodity by
commodity, when resumption OF
civilian production has restored a
normal supply OF the commodity.
This may take a long time, par
ticularly In some commodities. It
will mean extension Of the price
and wage control laws by the com.
inc Congress. when the Democratic
working majority in the House
will stand the Administration in
good stead.
In the cost-of-living report by
Wa. Labor Board Chairman Viii
liam II. Davis, the administration
virtually admits that living costs
have gone up 90 per cent since
Jan. l, 1871.
But the Administration will cling
TO the Little Steel wage freeze
formula until VE-day on the
grounds that overtime in numerous
cases more than makes up the
difference between Is and 80 per
cent.
1t least. this appears to be the
erall policy as laid down by
Economic Sterilization Director
Fed VI. Vinson. II is admittedly
economic tight.rope walking.
Caught in the middle are the
white.collar workers not receiving
overtime.
DO NOT LOOK FOR MUCH
TALK in Administration circles of
reconversion in the next few weeks.
The reason is that top officials are
s. ,lying reconversion for the time
being and are placing every EN-
phasis on supplying Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower with artillery ammuni-
ton an6 other equipment.
War Mobilizer James F.' Byrnes,
who is also in charge of recon-
version, regards this as his pri-
mary Job at the present time, and
he is concentratirg on the big
guns overseas to the exclusion OF
almost everything else.
ONE OF WASHINGTON'S VET
ERAN top-notch political writers
took the recent presidential cam
paign seriously-so much so that as
a sidelight of democracy In action
in blase sWashington-which Is
yoteless-it is we'll worth telling.
This newsman, who may as well
be identified at once as Arthur
Hachten, night editor of lnterna-
tional News Service in the nations
capital. wanted his young soma
grammar school pupil-to be fully
aware OF the significant events cli-
.xed by the fourth term re-elec-
ton of President Roosevelt.
Hachten carefully explained to
the young man how the electoral
college system or Grated, briefly out
lining the campaign issues and an
nounced that he wanted the boy to
hear the broadcast campaign APP
peal OF the presidential candidates
the Saturday night before election:
But this brought complications.
The youngster had l. rise early
TO cover his newspaper delivery
route. The radio speeches would
keep him up late the night before.
Mrs. Harchten was concerned
about his threatened lack OF sleep.
So dad made a deal. He agreed
that il the boy could stay up TO
hear Mr.. Roosevelt and Gov. Tho
mas Z. Dewey, he would help him
deliver his newspapers in the pre-.
dawn hours OF the following morn
ing.
And that was one campaign
promise that really was kept.