The Nome nugget., 1947-12-08
Monday, December 8, 1947
He Has Elm On The Spot
(The Denver POSt)


 thorzaon to apply to imitation brakes severe in ways than the economic controls used during the recent
 In view of the Presidents statement, made only a month ago. to the effect that raoning and rent controls methods employed by police state his message to the special session of Congress is puzzng to say the least.
 In addition to rationng and rent control authority the President is asking for power to impose price and wage ceilings where necessary to allocate modtes to prevent the building of large inventories of commodities to regulate speculative commodity trading, to check consumer and bank credits, to strengthen export controls to allocate transportation facilities and to induce livestock and poultry growers to cut down on their of grain feeds
 Every form of inflatonary control which has been mentioned recenty-frOm the united automobile work CTS demand for return of rationng and price controls to the suggestion of of the erudte economists for restriction bank credtS-WaS contained in the amazing omnibus request from the White House.
 The Presidents that he does not anticipate that of the authority he asking would have be used except in instances does not fully explain the breadth of the program he is sponsoring.
 In the time which has elapsed since the police state remark, there have been infatonary influences at work which, conceivably, could make the President decide that economic situation has become much worse that police state methods may be needed Within the month, however, he has received warn ings from the Hartman committee European recov ery that imitation should be considered threat to do mestc well-beng and is certain to become stronger threat yet as foreign aid is stepped up.
 mere IS no QOuDL that fIeSQeHI IIuIlldn also Has been receiving increasingly persistent advice that the principal issue in the 1948 campaign is likely to be the cost of living.
 Under the circumstances it may not be surprising, after a that such sanch supporter of free oy the President has found it advisable to ask for full power to deal with living costs and to ask for authority that he probably expects Congress to give him.
 At the moment the President has put himself in a highly strategic position If Congress does not come forth with the grants of power requested there will be difficulty in fixing the blame for any additional nfla- ton which may come either from domestic influences the diversion of billions of dollars worth of goods to Europe
 strategic comeback would be for Congress to grant the President all the controls he is asking the theory that if you give enough rope he will hang himself It would be difficult however, for Republican members of Congress to reconcile any such grant with their ditonal stand against managed economy
 It is significant that the Presidents address to Con- gress dealt but briefly with European relief The big tussle on that issue will come not in the preliminary event but in the main bout the Marshall plan.
 The President has pushed the living cost problem into the center of the and he has the Congress in Bad spot right from the opening gong.