Evening star., 1945-08-23
First Durable Goods
On Market Are Held
To 1942CeiIings
BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE. Jr.

Inc nrSt pricing OF consumer du-
rable goods scheduled to reach the
market this fall was ordered by the
Office Of Price Administration today
as 1t directed 1912 ceiling prices on
household washing machines, ironers
and aluminium kitcheware.
At the same time, Price Admins
traitor Chester Bowles declared:
Let me say fatty that during this
critical reconversion period, the cost
of rent and food will remain at pres
ent levels and that household goods
and appliances will come back into
the stores at about the same prices
that were in effect when the wal
shut down production.
Mr.. Bowles pointed out that OPA
was requiring manufacturers to turn
out the same proportion of low
priced units as they made during
prewar years. Manufacturers of the
items affected by today's order also
will be required to tag the items
with their retail ceiling prices.
Split Over Homes Cost.
It was learned that a split among
agency heads over the advisability
Of setting ceiling prices on postwar
homes is delaying final action
of the WPB in lifting what re-
mains of its construction order
but there are indications that ad-
vocates of no controls might win
out.
The way was cleared for resump-
ton of many types of construction
yesterday when the WPB drastically
relaxed its lumber control order
ANY lumber supplier now may sell
any kind of lumber providing ii
does not interfere with the filling
of orders for customers with pri-
critics.
Hugh Potter, the new construc.
ton co-ordinator in the Once oi
War Mobilization and Reconversion
and the WPB are lined up agains,
the Once of Price Administration
and the National Housing Agency
in the discussion Of price controls
over new homes. The latter two
agencies feel that making the sky
the limit on construction win bring
a major threat to the stabilizatior
program.
Urge High Production.
Advocates of no controls main
tain, however, that a high rate o1
production of homes is the answer
to imitation in the real estate market
Significance was attached to the
fact that the War Labor Board yes
terday issued new order tempo
rarily exempting the building and
construction industry from the
agencyis three-day-old general or
der dealing with the Governments
new wage policy. The general order
had laid down policy Of allowing
voluntary wage increases only Sc
long as they did not result In IN
creased prices.
BY unanimous action of the board
the industry was exempted from the
general order for 80 days to give the
wage adjustment board. unit Of the
Labor Department and WLB, juris.
diction over wage adjustments in
the industry.
May Lift Rest Of Order Soon.
WPB still hopes to lift the 70.
mainder of its construction order by
September 80. Construction Of fac.
tories. plants and many other In
dustrial types of buildings was au-
thorized earlier this week.
Meanwhile. with most control,
over consumer durable goods nov
abolished, WPB gave q revised pic
ture of what win be available In the
coming months. BY the end OF the
year consumers can expect the fol-
lowing production:
Washing machines About $50, ,00o
electric models with no rationins
planned. The pentup demand i
estimated ct close to 900, 900 units
Electric fans l25, |, 900, With : "fair-
ly adequate" supply on hand by De-
oember. Production will rise sharply
in the spring.
Mechanical refriserators - About
B26 900 units, With plans for lftine
distribution controls which
limit their use to essential sources
BY mid October.
Film and photographic paper
Supplies tight Tor > while but sup