Evening star., 1946-07-24
0PA Rushes Plans
To Put Price Ceilings
Back onMany Items
BY the Assoeiu'ed Press

Ou.h VilslIoHy HciIiS
BY the Assoeiuted Pres,
Obviously banking on immi-
nent new legal life, OPA rushed
plans today to slap a big seq
ment of the American economy
back under June 30 price CELL
ings, at least temporarily.
On rents, the agency has ready
an order re-establishing the same
controls which were in effect in
each of $40 areas when the Fed
eral law lapsed at the end of last
month.
Except on major food items and
certain other products which in
no event can be placed under cell
ings again before August 20, OPA's
plans to retore June 30, maximum
prices apply pretty much across the
board.
New Ceilings Temporary.
officials emphasized that many
of these ceilings would be tempor-
airy. Under the pending revival bill
OPA is required to apply new stand
ards which, according to the agency
will require higher ceilings in many
cases.
But the bill gives OPA 80 days
after enactment to make most of
the stipulated changes. In the case
Of the Barkley amendment, which
sets up a new base period for fixing
ceilings of manufacturers, producers
and professors, OPA need not act
for so days after an industry COM
mittee petitions for a price adjust
ment.
In some cases. June 80 ceilings
probably will be replaced quickly
with temporary higher prices cal
culated under previous OPA stand
ards. Price Administrator Paul
Porter has indicated that this course
will be followed, for example, on
some building materials.
Top OPA officials still are uncer-
tain how some provisions of the
bill would be applied. But this is
their preliminary analysis:
Uncontrolled Items.
Under no circumstances could
ceilings be restored before August
20 on meat. dairy products, cotton
seed, soybeans-or items made en-
tirely or substantially from these
commodities-and on grain and live
stock and poultry feeds made from
grain.
Ceilings will be re-established on
food products made from grain. such
as -four, bread and breakfast
cereals.
If an independent three-man de-
control board to be named by Presi-
dent Truman and confirmed by the
Senate has not ruled by August 20
whether the ceiling-free items
should remain so or not, price con-
trolls automatically would be re-
stored. OPA would fix the actual
ceilings.
Other items on which ceilings
could not be re-established prior to
August 20 are poultry, eggs, to-
bacco, petroleum and their prod
ucts. In the case of these items
maximum prices could not be re-
stored even after August 20 unless
the control board so ruled.
OPA expects the list of ceiling
free products covered directly and
indirectly by these provisions to
number in the hundreds. On the
list, in addition to products men,
toned specifically, would be such
items as Ice cream, canned meat
spreads, cigarettes. cigars, gasoline,
kerosene and fuel oil,
Restaurant Meals.
While major food items which
make up restaurant and hotel meals
would be free of ceilings at least un-
til August 20, these meals would be
under ceilings.
However, the cost of dining out
probably would be higher than it
was June 80. because an OPA regu-
lation provides for basing the price
of a meal on the actual cost of raw
food. Restaurants could make these
price adjustments without clearing
through OPA.
Rents.
The bill makes virtually no
changes in rent control provisions.
OPA plans to re-esta blish June 80
rent ceilings across the board.
However, the agency has no au-
thority to order refunds In the case
Of any rent increases already COL
lected by landlords for the period
during which controls were not in
effect.
On evictions. notices served prior
to July ! under OPA regulation
would date from the time of issu-
ance, despite the lapse of controls
at the start of the month.
Evictions started under local law
during the period Federal controls
were not in effect will not be recoe-
nized by OPA, officials said, unless
a court Judgment actually had been
served prior to revival of OPA con-
trolls.
Subsidies.
The bill authorizes expenditure
of 81 ,000.000,000 in subsidies during
the fiscal year 1857, as compared