Evening star., 1944-07-03
|0pA 10 Issue New. Lisf
|N Increased Prices !;
For Cotton Textiles !;
By the Associated Press.

. W SVutVub uVNuUDVS
By the Associated Press.
The once of Price Admins
tration promised today to inform
consumers promptly how much
more they can expect to- pay for
shirts, dresses, sheets, pillow.
cases, ETC., under price advances
authorized for cotton textile
mills. I
About one-third Of ali cotton fab
nc output win command higher
prices at the mill, OPA Administra-
tor Bowles said. These include fab.
rics widely used for moderately
priced house dresses, mems shirts
and shorts, work clothes and knit
cotton underwear.
Mr.. Bowles said he does not ex.
pect that "the net effect on the cost
OF living would be substantial un.
der the provisions of the Bankhead
amendment which Congress wrote
into the extend Price Control Act.
Some Of the new increases will
undoubtedly have to be passed to
the consumers" he said. TT is be.
lieved, however. that others can be
absorbed in whole or in part at
intermediate stages of production
and distribution. Final decision,
on these questions will be announced
promptly"
OPA officials said today their AZ
ures still were incomplete but they
hoped less than half OF the boost
would have to be passed on through
retail sales.
Ceilings Not Determined.
Even the mills, however, do not
yet know the exact ceiling increases
granted them by OPA under term,
OF the amendment. 1t provides that
major items" must get price ad-
Justments to reflect parity to cotton
growers. Mr.. Bowles said the new
ceilings on each item would be an
nounced this week, If possible.
To comply strictly with the act.
which made the changes effective
June 30. Mr.. Bowles authorized the
mills to sign open contracts" whose
prices could be filled in when cell.
ings were determined.
The major items" given increases
are: Denims, most combed and
carded cotton yarns, major types Of
sheets and pillow cases, 3.6O-yard
sanfortzed chambrays, most combed
yard fabrics and knit cotton heavy.
weight underwear. Manufacturers
OF class A" gray print cloth also
may make open contracts b,i.
OPA has not finally decided whether
to increase their prices.
Rise Estimated at IS Per Cent.
Prior to passage of the amend.
ment. offered by Senator Bankhead,
Democrat, of Alabama. OPA est!-
mated it would bring increases
averaging rs per cent at the mills
or $l50.000 900 annually.
| Mr. Bowles disclosed he had re.
jected an industry proposal for.
general, temporary increase on al
cotton textile items. This, he said,
would have meant a rise of 10 per
cent or more in average mill prices,
running more than 500, 900 900 q
year in mill sales. The industry
asked that this increase be put in
force until studies showed which
particular increases were uneces.
sary.
The price administrator said the
Iindustry's claim that the general in
crease was required by the Bank
head amendment was without
foundation. >
Congress has just reaffirmed ill
the basic principles of stabilization."
Mr.. Bowles declared "A charge
that it has legislated an increase Of
10 per cent or more in prices Of cot
ton clothing would be instantly and
rightly denied" .
OPA BEGINNING Survey.
The selection of items for price
increases does not foreclose consid-
Grafton of evidence that increases
are needed in other goods, Mr..
Bowles said.
Industry spokesmen have been In
vited to submit any such evidence
and OPA is beginning q complete
survey Of costs on all ajor cotton
textile items to determine whether
additional increases are called for.
In connection with the industry
plea for a general price increase,
Mr.. Bowles said he could not have
justified such an order on OPAs
own information. -
"OPA has repeatedly shown" ne
said. that the general level Of
prices and margins fixed in its reg
ulations are more than fair to the
industry as a whole. Not only tits,
but 1t has been shown that the reNu-
lations. taken as a whole, permit
the mills to pay parity prices for
cotton and still realize fair prices.
In the long debate over cotton ts3-
tile prices, these facts have never
been successfully challenged and f9r
the most part have not even BEEN