Evening star., 1946-09-30
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End Of CeiIinqs,
Retailers Told
DecontroI Boord Heed
Sees Most Lifted in
Next Six Months

Inc next six months should bring
virtual elimination of price controls,
Chairman Roy L. Thompson of the
Price Decontrol Board predicted to-
day in an address before the fall
meeting of the American Retail
Federation, meeting today and to-
morrow in the Hotel Statler.
While OPA will continue nine
more months, Mr.. Thompson said
he sees "straws in the wind pointing
to less and less need, month by
month, for price control on many
fronts"
Increased output is the rule, with
double, triple and more production
Of things your customers want to
buy in matter of only six months .
he said. There are gaps, but the
main thing is that the pipelines are
filling up-and rapidly" He cited
radio production, up 70 per cent
since March; washing machines, 80
per cent; vacuum cleaners, As per
cent; refrigerators, 145 per cent
electric irons, 81 per cent, and elec-
u ~ IdIiscS, o1Z ptI CclJ.
Progress on Farm Front.
On the farm front. he said, the
same ecord-breaking progress is
visible.
How long" he asked, "do you
think this gigantic production has
to keep up before the need for price
control will be swept overheard by
a wave of production? Not long, l
think"
The agricultural production record
and the high level of farm prices,
Mr. Thompson forecast, will open a
vast new market for American busi-
ness on scale never before pos
sible."
The decontrol chief gave little
comfort, however, to those who ad-
vocate the removal of meat price
ceilings.
Meat Supply Still Short.
an some farm crops" he observed
notably in meat and dairy products,
supply is still short in relation to
demand-even though production in
many cases is far above the prewar
levels"
While the board twice has decided
to keep dairy items free of price
controls, it cautioned each time that
ceilings would be reapplied If prices
soar as they did In the case of meats.
Saying that only so per cent OF
the country's privately produced out
put is under price control now, COM
pared with 80 per cent in June, 1945,
Mr.. Thompson added:
ut is my belief that if things keep
moving during the next six months
at the same rate they have travelled
in the last six months, price control
and all its irritations and problems
will be a long way toward bowing
out of the picture"
Purchases Out Of Incomes.
Speaking on current retail prob
lens, Nelson A. Miller, chief of
the Marketing Division of the Office
of Domestic Commerce in the Com
merce Department, declared that
price rises accounted for about two
thirds of the 1936-46 sales increase.
Retail sales in the first seven
months Of 1916 were at the annual
rae of $4,000, 100000, largest in
history.
Total income payments increased
much more than dollar retail sales,
he said. 1T appears that consumers
have been making purchases largely
out of current incomes and de-
pending less on past savings"
Mr.. Miller urged getting back
to fundamentals" naming: Replace
ment of Indifferent stats; special
training of selling personnel; care
full analysis of causes of lost sales,
returns and markdowns; checking
business outlooks and individual
markets, and intensive surveys of
inventory and its stability.
Sees Higher Security Grants.
Declaring the present l per cent
old age insurance tax is "actuarially
too low" George B. Hammond of
the Ohio Council of Retail Mer-
chants, said: I'VE shall be remiss
in our obligations as representa-
tives OF progressive craft if we
oppose any increase without careful
examination of all circumstances
in the situation"
He predicted an upward trend in
social security grants approximate
ly conforming to increases In the
general price level
I'm all but a few States the
unemployment reserve fund is tre-
mendously, dangerously large and
SUFFICIENT to meet any conceivable
DRAIN" he added. why should we
continue to pile up these huge
surpluses as an invitation to vote
minded legislators to grant larger
and larger benefits?"
Pill