Evening star., 1946-10-17
Party Leaders Study
Effects of Decontrol
Prices Expected to Stay High
Until After Election Day
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
The political consequences OF Pres
ident Truman's decision to decontrol
meat are being variously surveyed today.
Democrats seem to lean to the idea
that the action came in time to ward
off defeat in the congressional elections.
Certainly, If the decontrol order had
not been issued, the Rpublicans would
have had more of an issue than they
have now.
The Republicans, on the other hand,
insist that the entire economic situa-
ton is causing widespread protest and
that this will be reflected at the polls.
They believe that the protest feeling is
already deeply ingrained in the elector-
ate and that the decontrol action comes
too late to bring stability of the meat
supply.
The Democrats expect to benefit politi-
cally by the obvious rise in prices. For
it is reasoned that, by forcing the re-
moval of controls, the President has
demonstrated that inflationary forces
are at work to raise the cost of living.
Can Reimpose Controls.
1t seems to have been overlooked that
the President can reimpose controls
under his broad powers and that the
oretically nothing final has been at
tanned by recent decisions. After election,
controls can be reimposed as means
of stopping the rise of living costs. But
the predictions from informed quarters
are that prices will drop after few
weeks and that the ultimate price level
will not be far beyond what 1t was
under ceilings. If meat becomes ade-
quate at reasonable prices, it seems un-
likely that there will be demand for
the replacement Of controls.
1t is, therefore, the immediate future
the time between now and November
(Which has. to Be appraised from q
political viewpoint. Prices will remain
high until election day at least and 1t
seems improbable that much meat will
find its way to the Nations dinner table
for some time to come. If the voters
are unhappy about this turn OF events
and If they continue to blame the Dem
ocratic administration. it would appear
that the protest vote would be consider
able
The Democratic managers are issuing
statements of confidence that they will
ally statements before election are made
for psychological effect not only on
voters but on party workers. The DEM
ocrats, it must be noted, are basing their
confidence on something more than
wishful thinking. In the last several
elections the Democrats have had the
benefit of the organization work of the
CIo-PAC which is far more effective
than that of the regular organizations
of any political party. The CIO-PAC
gets out the vote and the heavy regis
tration figures in many States just an
nounced are being viewed by Democratic
| managers as a sign that the vote has
been gotten out through the labor union
organizations.
Labor Strength in Cities.
The labor strength. however, Is cen
centrated in the cities. 1t can influence
tnC OuGSOulC VI SubCl ildVOi ldl VI eCud-
torial races because big majorities in
| the cities can cut down and overcome
Republican majorities in rural districts
and small towns. In the voting, on the
| other hand, for members of the House
! Of Representatives this cannot be a
| factor. Each congressional district is a
unit and there can be no hope to gain
control of the House If twice as big a
majority is rolled up in city districts
than heretofore. The CIO-PAC doesn't
have the organization to do the work
in small towns and rural districts.
The chances are that, based on what
has appeared to date, the Republicans
will secure control of the House of
Representatives but not by a big mar
| gin whereas control of the Senate by
the Republicans would appear to be
much less likely.
! If the Democrats succeed In keeping
| control of the Senate by q small ma
| jority. they will control the selection
of committee chairmanships but the
upper house will be controlled in fact
by a coalition of Southern Democrats
| and Republicans. The veto power in
the next two years will then come
into more use than ever before and this
in turn will have an effect on President
Truman's political record on current
issues, assuming that he is a candidate
for denomination, which is by no means
settled.
II the Democrats maintain control
OF both houses by comfortable majori-
ties, it would be vote of confidence in
Mr. Trumans administration and his
denomination would seem to be assured.
fRenrnduct tinn Rirhts RAsArvAdl