Evening star., 1946-07-01
Prices
CONTINUED From First Page.

tension, and the country'S reaction
could be determined.
Weekend Developments also saw
Senator Taft, Republican. of Ohio
hitting back at President Truman's
assertion that his amendment sane
tioning price increases to offset cost
increases incurred by manufac-
turers, distributors and others was
"by far the most damaging amend
ment" in the rejected bill.
The President repeatedly named
Senator Taft in both his broadcast
and veto message. The Ohioan re-
torted yesterday that Mr.. Truman,
by his veto, has chosen to plunge
this country into chaos" and said
the President, not Congress, should
be held responsible for the conse-
auences. He also said he. had been
victim of personal attack" by the
President, deliberately misrepre-
senting" his position.
Coming to Senator Taft's assist
ance, Chairman Carroll Reece of
the Republican National Commit
tee said Mr.. Truman was throw
ing the American people onto the
fires of imitation" Mr.. Reece said
that control of rents and scarce
commodities must be recaptured by
forceful congressional action"
The country at large saw these
other developments:
The vast A. g. P. cnain said its
5000 stores in 81 States will not
increase prices today and the COM
pany said it will take absolutely no
advantage of the fact price control
has been removed.
Grain Controls Removed.
In Chicago, the Board of Trade
directors ordered removal of CELL
ings on corn, barley and oats, but
retained the five cents a buShel daily
limit on fluctuations in grain prices.
A spokesman for the meat pack
ing industry said the situation was
confused and uncertain" but Ralph
Walter, president of the Chicago
Live Stock Exchange, said "our duty
is to sell at the highest price OBJ
tainable."
The American Meat Institute,
which represents packers generally,
said it will take a little time for
the industry to get back on its feet
and that the speed of recovery de-
pends to large degree on the sup
plies of livestock coming to the
market.
In Minneapolis, the Chamber of
Commerce board of directors, gov
erning body of the grain exchange,
announced ceilings on grains traded
at the Minneapolis market had been
abandoned.
While sugar rationing goes on un-
changed, price ceilings on sugar are
gone and industry spokesmen said
a price rise of l cent pound was
probable President Truman issued
an order last night to continue
rationing under the extension OF
his war powers.
Clothing Increase Doubted.
F. Eugene Ackerman, executive
director of the American Wool
Council, expressed doubt that cloth
ing prices would be substantially in
creased. He declared manufactur-
ers have advised retailers of prices
for fall lines land they would be
foolish to kick their customers
around by hiking prices now" Re-
tail stores face the possibility of a
buyers strike" if they raise prices,
he said.
The National Association of Re-
tail Grocers said it had sent tele-
grams to all its members asking
that there be no radical increase"
in food costs. The kilograms said
there ultimately would be increased
production and consequently
greater supplies at reasonable
prices"
In Pittsburgh, Wilmer NJ Jacoby,
special representative of the Pitts
burgh Retail Merchants Association,
representing five major department
stores, said: The stores feel very
strongly about holding the line, OPA
or no OPA"
In New Orleans, A. Lloyd Keller,
president Of the local retail grocers
association, said: IF manufacturers
hold down, retailers will hold down. u
j. j. Kramer, spokesman for the
Louisiana Restaurant Associat ton,
said he did not think there would
be even per cent rise in restau-
rant prices unless costs of raw foods
go up"
The Maine State Merchants As
sociation urged retailers not to al
low prices to ''Skyrocket." The State
Milk Control Board asked the dairy
industry to adhere to current mini
mum prices.
Two officers of the North Carolina
Merchants Association asked that
retailers refrain from making drastic
price increases because that woulC
inevitably result in more controls
Gwylm A. Price, president of the
Westinghouse Electric Corp. saio
the company will exercise great re-
straint in raising the prices of its
products with or without OPA
oN~frol