The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-07-03
US. Absorbs First Shocks of Price Wave
Stocks Return Again To Midwest
 Groups in US.
 Agitote for OPA
 Price Controls
By UNITED PRESS

Labor, civic and veterans groups agitated today for restoration of price controls as rents and wholesale prices climbed in many parts of the na- tion.
 The C.IO United Auto Workers Union called for one-day nation wide demonstration by all organized labor At Chicago the emergency committee for the extension Of price and rent control scheduled a mass meeting for this afternoon.
 The Pennsylvania department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars an- nounced that it's 100000 members would stage buyers strike unless rent and price controls were re- stored.
 Price Jumps Spotty
 OPA cheeks throughout the coun- try showed spotty price jumps in scarce and perishable commodities such as steaks, butter, oranges and snap beans.
 Meanwhile, battle and hogs poured into midwest livestock term inaLs, and housewives hoped for at least temporary relief from the meat famine.
 Agriculture Department officials said meat supplies probably would increase in about week, but they warned that unrestrained bidding might boost prices beyond the reach Of the lower income group. The American Meat Institute. | spokesman for the packing indus try, said prices are expected to seek competitive levels which will narrow the 12 cents a pound gap between the fietional OPA eeling prices, at which average consumers have been able to get little or no meat at all. and the actuaLseost of meat to consumers who could find it" - -.-
 AA-Tine High Reached
 At the Chicago market, a few choice steers sold yesterday for S22.50 a hundred pounds, an all- time high and s4.50 over the former OPA ceiling. But average cattle prices were lower than on Monday. Hogs sold at top of s16.5O a hun dredweight, s2.50 below Mondays high, but S165 above the OPA ceiling. " 7='.
 Rent increases-ranging up to 300 percent in isolated instances were reported in many communi- ties.
 Gov. John O. Pastore of Rhode Island called a special meeting of the Legislature for Friday to con- slder the rent situation. Gov. Ralph Gates of Indiana postponed re- quest for state rent legislation aft CT Sen. Homer Capehart, (R., Ind) assured him that the outlook for Congressional re-enactment of the price control bill was good.
 The governors of Alabama, New Jersey and Massachusetts froze rents at OPA levels and the gov ernor of Iowa requested that rent ceilings be observed. New York state has a rent control law
 Asks Only 10G Raise
 The Chicago Real Estate Board published a newspaper advertise mer1t recommending that any in- crease in residential rents be lim- lted to maximum of 10 percent effective Sept l." The Greater Hotel Association of Chicago voted to maintain present hotel room rates until, it was learned whether or not Congress would reinstate rent control.
 There were scattered reports of sharp boosts in food prices. but most retailers were keeping pledges to hold prices within reason
 The American Dairy Association said that a coast-to-coast check of food prices showed that retailers are determined to keep prices at or near present levels"
 Used car prices sky-rocketed in many instances. At Grand Rapids. Mich, a used car lot offered a l946 model car for S3,6OO