The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-12


 ment as anything you ever saw. It is written in lst person singular, ior direct straight from the shoulder, conversational appeal. And you can understand 1t, For instance:
 T am well aware that any delay on our part in setting prices would be an even greater hardship for the small manufacturers than for large ones," he writes. "Wa must make sure that any manufacturer who needs Q new price can get Q decision quickly, In order to do this, We will auth. orize the 9S OPA district offices, located in all parts of the country, to set the final ceiling prices tog all reconverted products not on tks list of i2 major items" (Autos, refrigerators, washing machines', sewing machines, vacuum cleanelG radios, clocks and watches, fur. naces, ranges, electrical appliances, pianos, phonographs)
 PRICE ADJUSTMENT
 SIMPLIFIED
 "Many firms have already ind!- cated that they plan to sell at their le42 prices |. They will not need to call on our field otfioeS at all.
 Firms whose higher production costs make Q price adjustment necessary will be able to present the facts to the nearest office and receive 0 price based on Q set Of stRndarcs arrived at In Wasli. ington. These will be StandardV that can be quickly applied with. out referring back to Washington
 "A complete plan, including pric- Ing standards for the smallel manufacturers has been developeS If necessary, we are preparel to announce full details of the pricing procedure each manuia'. turer will follow within 4e hours after VIE day,
 Finally, we are studying the possibility of completely exemptlnE from price control certain (smalD manufacturers. -.
 We are anxious to do this ia order to eliminate aS rapidly Gs possible oil unnecessary red tape and needless regulation"
 These lines are typical and In Q way they express the whole mes. sage Bowles is trying to get across to American industry. The six aims Of his postwar pricing policy acc stated as: encouraging production continuing high wage rates, pro. tecting against increase in the coSs of living, preventing collapse O. farm prices, simplifying application of controls and eliminating all con. trols as rapidly as possible.
 PLAN DESTINED
 TO BE TARGET
 Tn way, this b Q courageous document to stick out at this time Just before election. The memo can be and will Do Snlped ct as Q typl- cal New Deal plan intended to regiment American industry after the war. From the Democratic side, however, 1t can Do pointed out as proof that the administration policies on price control have kept down the cost Of living, preventing repetition Of runaway imitation and the crash after the last war, whllC ct the same time keeping up cor- porate profits, farm income and wage payments vel lbeyond the peaks of 1929.
 But BowleS had his eye on an. other date than the election in putting out this memorandum, and that was the possible end of the war in Europe, with it's resulting 70 per cent disiocation of the war economy,
 How long this controlled. .prIce period will last, BowleS b not prepared to say. The timing will vary from item to item, he says, But as the need for war production decreases and the need for civilian production increaess, hardship cases will Dc given relief, pric } controls will be taken off as fast as possible and one of the most difficult and diRagreeable of all wartime restrictions written off tho books.