The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1947-05-09

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| just themselves to levels that con-
sumers are willing to pay. = = Sup
| ply will quickly catch up with de-
mand. Prices will be fair and rea-
sonabIe TO all. Quality will be i'm
proved. = = Send for a booklet that
explains how price controls cause
initiation"
A Prophecy Wherry Would
Like To Forget
Some of our leading politicians who
should have known better must also
bear their share of the blame Sen.
Robert Taft was one. Sen. Kenneth
Wherry was another On June IL,
1916, Senator Wherry said "Mr.
BowIes has said that if price controls
were eliminated, the price of meat
would go up so percent. Mr.. BowIes
is trying to scare US. My prediction
is that without price control meat will
cost less than today" If Mrs. Wherry
keeps budget, the senator will find
that meat is now up so percent.
Last June, in the face of weeks of
skilled anti-price-contro1 propaganda,
three out of four Americans-accord-
ing to Gallup-were still solidly in
favor of the OPA in it's fight to hold
down prices. But. a majority in both
house of congress chose to listen in
stead to the lobbyists who represented
vested interests
It's easy to blame our elected rep
20 70 fnId Il
sure. But, in all fairness, we should
recognize that never in our recent
history had any congress been faced
with SO much pressure applied with
such finesse.
Some competent economists have
figured that the resulting price in
creases which American families had
had to pay since last June Chat is,
the price increases which would have
been avoided if price controls had
been continued for another Year, have
already totaled $8,OOO,OOO,OOO.
What is likely to happen in the next
few months? Will prices continue up
ward? VIII they soon start down?
When they drop, will they drop with
a bang?
Clearly, no one really knows, and
the wisest are the least inclined to
prophesy.
Signs of a General Price Break
Many economists feel that prices
will continue to rise in an increasingly
cratic fashion until late spring or
early summer; that sharp decrease
will occur than in farm prices, which
will be the signal for a general break
in all prices.
Some of them expect that the drop
will be sharp that production will be
that we shall be faced with
ranging from four to
seven million, accompanied by furry
Of bankruptcies and foreclosures: and
that recovery will take place in 194S.
1t may be that the drop-off in prices
will be much sharper and that unem-
Dloyment will be substantially in
creased above the guesses of the econ
0mists.
Or it may be that shipments of food
and other economic aid overseas will
Tend to cushion the adjustment While
many prices may move sharply down
ward, with some accompanying eco
lomic pain, the adjustment in general
may be made without too much dam
lge
Let's hope and pray that we'll be let
Town relatively lightly.
There are, of course, certain steps
hat we can take in the next 60 days
which will cushion whatever economic
shock may lie ahead. None of them
could be called radical by any stretch
# the imagination. If we are wise,
We will join together, Republicans and
Democrats, liberals and conservatives,
eliminate the political maneuvering,
nd promptly put them into effect:
Seven important Steps
1. We can continue rent control for
ne more year from June 80, 1947. A
harp increase in rents right now,
dded to the sharply increased cost of
wing since last June, would be dis
strous for the 100000 families who
i've in rontad dwa11in0c