Evening star., 1947-11-14
|40-Hour-Week
|StudyUrgedby
Flanders Group
Temporary Increase
May Be Necessary,
Committee Says
BY the Associated Press

Voluntary food rationing with
a control law ready for use If
such a system fails-was pro-
posed by a congressional group
today as one means of combat
ting the high cost of living.
The Senate-House group, headed
by Senator Flanders, Republican, of
Vermont, also called for reduction
in taxes on loW-income individuals
and voluntary restraints on profits
and wage increases, as well as re-
turn to installment buying curbs.
In its report to the Joint Economic
Committee headed by Senator Taft,
Republican, of Ohio, the Flanders
subgroup also said that further in
vestigation is needed of the 40-hour
work week, adding:
"We often refer to the miracles Of
production in the war, but they were
not accomplished on a 40-hour week.
We may be facing the necessity of q
temporary increase in the work week
II We are to furnish the products re-
quired for European relief and re-
construction, without lowering our
domestic consumption"
Flanders Sees Meat Rationing.
Besides Senator Flanders, Sen
ators Baldwin, Republican, of Con-
necticut, and Myers, Democrat, Of
Dan =, c1ryyyor3 r3io nnI 70
Rich, Republican, of Pennsylvania,
Kilburn, Republican, of New York.
and Hart, Democrat, of New Jersey,
signed the report.
Senator Flanders told reporters,
in releasing the findings, it is his
personal opinion that there will
have to be resumption of meat
rationing. He contended this would
force meat prices down.
The subcommittee recommended
tions, made after an investigation OF
the cost of living in the Eastern part
of the country, are expected to be
consolidated with those of commit
tees studying conditions in the
Central and Western areas.
The three may form the basis Of
a committee study Senator Taft
predicted will be ordered py the
group after President Truman lays
anti-inf1ation recommendations be.
fore the special session of Congress-
starting Monday.
The Flanders group may have an
ticipated some of Mr.. Trumans
recommendations with a proposal
that the full committee look into
voluntary and statutory rationing
and ALLEGATION of scarce foodstuffs.
Luckman Program Criticized.
Criticizing the present food saving
program directed by Charles Luck
man as illogical and inadequate"
the Flanders report said higher
income individuals or families should
be urged to cut down their overall
consumption of meat, butter, eggs
and poultry.
1.-THE low income consumer needs
no voluntary rationing," the report
said. He is already being involun-
tarily rationed (by prices). The
higher income consumer can follow
the rules given by the Luckman
committee literally and faithfully
without making any reduction in his
total intake of meat and eggs"
The subcommittee said voluntary
rationing should be tried first but
added "since it may not work suffi-
GENTLY quickly or effectively, the
Congress might we'll give considera-
tion to setting up the mechanism for
Limited rationing of important food
stuffs only"
The group said voluntary alloca-
ton, as represented by the distillers'
agreement to stop grain consump-
ton for go days, promised some
further success in obtaining grain
for Europe but seemed unlikely to
bring down prices.
Larger Dependent Allowance.
Contending that statutory alloca-
ton authority, which Mr.. Truman
has indicated he will seek, will in
volve some direct or indirect means
of price control, the report added:
This IS the weakness of alloca-
tion as we see it,
Pointing to a submerged group"
particularly in the cities, which 1t
said is not getting enough to eat
because of high prices, the subcom-
mittee proposed that income tax
relief be given to this class by in
creasing the allowance for de-
pendents.
While the Flanders group called
for voluntary restraint on profits
(See ECONOMIC, Page A-8J