Evening star., 1947-11-17
Stopgop Aid of
5Q7 Million Also
Urged in Message
By Joseph A. Fox

President Truman asked Con-
gress today to restore authority
for rationing important con-
sumer goods ION a highly selec-
tve basis" and imposing limited
price and wage controls once
more.
These proposals topped 10-point
:, program which the President pre-
sented to Congress in person in an
effort to bolster domestic economy
and to ease suffering in Europe. He
referred to the measures as drastic
and their goal as ito halt the rising
tide of prices"
AS forecast, the President asked
for an appropriation of $597 900
for stopgap aid for France, Italy
and Austria-plus additional funds
for occupied Germany-pend1ng
adoption of a long-range Marshall
plan.
Imitation Threat Stressed.
The President launched his long
heralded dual assault on hunger
abroad and initiation at home with
a fiat declaration that Price inf1a-
ton threatens our entire program
of foreign aid
In moving for the reimposition
of price ceilings the President said
that these should cover vital COM
modities In short supply which af-
feet living cost basically. He specl-
fed that food, clothing. fuel and
rents should be covered, but he
stressed that this does not mean
that price ceilings should be i'm
posed on all items within the classes
I have mentioned"
Presidents 10 Points.
TIE Presidents 10-point program
covers these legislative require
ments:
!. Authorize consumer ration
ing on products in short supply
which basically affect the cost
of living
2. Authorize price ceilings on
products in short supply which
basically affect the cost of living
or industrial production and to
authori7' such wage ceilings as
are essential to maintain the
necessary price ceilings"
81 Extend and strengthen rent
control.
4. Authorize ALLEGATION and in
ventory control of scarce, cost-of-
living commodities.
S. Authorize regulation of spec
ulative trading on commodity ex-
changes.
6. Restore consumer credit con-
trolls and restrain inf1ationary
bank credit
7. Extend and strengthen ex-
port controls.
8. Continue authority to allo-
cate transportation facilities and
equipment.
9. Provide measures to induce
livestock and poultry marketing
so as to obtain the most efficient
use of grain.
10. Allow the Agriculture De-
partment to expand program
for encouraging conservation
practices and authorize measures
intended to step up foreign food
production.
q. s. Economy Held in Jeopardy.
Mr.. Truman addressed Congress
at time when, he said, "the future
of the free nations or Europe hangs
in the balance" and "the future of
our own economy is in jeopardy"
Enumerating price rises vital IN
cost of living fields. the President
said that imitation stands as an
ominous threat to thte prosperity
we have achieved"
The country can no longer treat
imitation "as some vague condition
we may encounter in the future, .
the President said. adding that I'VE
already have an alarming degree OF
imitation. And even more alarming,
1t is getting worse
He pointed out that fuel is up 13
per cent since the middle of last
year: clothing prices up 10 per cent;
retail food prices 40 per cent, and
the average for all cost of living
items % per cent.
"The houswife who goes to buy
food today must spend $40 to buy
what 81 bought year and a half
ago." the President continued. land
the cost of living is still climbing" >"
Luxuries Not Affected.
He declared that price ceilings
would not be necessary for staple
1See CONGRESS, Page A-6)