Evening star., 1947-11-18

other presidential suggestions:
/. Regulation of speculative trad
ing on the commodity exchanges. |
2. ALLEGATION of transportation ia
cilities and equipment.
8. ALLEGATION and inventory con-
trolls over scarce commodities which
basically affect the cost of living or
industrial production.
The President mentioned food,
clothing, fuel and rent as some Of
the basic elements in the cost of
living on which it may be neces-
sary to impose "selective" price con-
trolls.
Wage Ceiling Difficulties Seen.
He said this does not mean that
ceilings should be placed on all the
items in the classes he mentioned,
adding:
For example. price ceilings would
not be necessary for staple food and
clothing items not In short supply
or for any delicacies or luxuries.
AS for wage controls, Mr.. Tru-
man said the Government, in all
fairness, should have the authority
to prevent wage increases which
will make it impossible to maintain
the price ceilings
Senator Ellender, Democrat, of
Louisiana said he interprets this as
meaning the President was suggest
ing wage curbs only in industries
whose production falls short of de-
mand
Il don't see how it would be pos
sible to put ceilings on some wages
and not on Others" the Louisiana
Senator said. eff you put ceiling
on wages in the steel industry. Tor
instance, the tendency would be toI
drive workmen out of that field into
some other where they production
efforts are less needed"
Senator Taft took issue with the
whole idea of "selective" controls.
Who is to determine what are
vital commodities and whether they
affect the cost of liying?" the Obi
oan demanded. THAT definition
alone includes 80 per cent OF all
comodities. No. The President is
only trying to sugarcoat the pill.
This is the OPA."
Called Reactionary Step.
"He wants price control against
the producer, wage control against
the working man, rationing against
the housewife and the restaurant,
every kind OF control over the busi-
nessman," Senator Taft declared.
Such a proposal is not progress.
Nor is it liberalism. 1t is reaction
and step to completely totali-
| tartan nation"
Democratic leaders said no effort
has been made to put the President
suggestions into legislative form,
with the exception of some work
that has been done by the Agricul-
ture Department in making pre-
liminary drafts of measures affect
ing that field.
Senate Minority Leader Barkley
is expected to call his partys Policy
Committee together this week to-
map a course of action. Congress
sional chieftains probably will ask
for a conference to discuss the pro-
gram further with the President
before submitting any bills.
! In any event there seemed little
likelihood that any attempt will be
made to wrap up the entire To-
point program into a single anti
| imitation measure.
Senator Fulbright, Democrat, of
Arkansas told a reporter he hopes
separate bills will be offered, 80
that we can vote for those portions
of the program we favor and can
oppose those that we don't" SEN
ator Fulbrieht did not define his
possible opposition to any of the
Presidents suggestions.
Byrd Assails Regimentation.
But Senator Byrd and others
made it plain that there is dissent
within his own party to the Presi-
dents program.
Senator Byrd said the President
had proposed the greatest eco
nonic regimentation of our home
affairs ever suggested In time OF
peace"
TT is a strange doctrine that, to-
make Europeans free we must make
ourselves at home slaves to q Fed
eral bureaucracy which will dip its
wasteful and inefficient hands into
every mans business he declared.
Senator Buck, Republican, of Del
aware said Mr.. Truman had offered
some logic and lot of politics
while Senator Ball, Republican, OF
Minnesota contended that the Pres
idents program is "the same one I
read in the CIO News two weeks
ago"
Senator KEN, Republican, of Mis-
souri, called it "the same old political
bag of tricks" and Senator Hawkes.,