Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-23
Taft Insists President
Follow Pattern bf
Authorization Law ~
! BY .hs A.soeio,ed Pres.


Senator Taft, Republican, OF
Ohio indicated. today he may in
sist that President Truman meet
the terms of, the Republican
ost-of Living law before Con-
gress acts on any more anti
imitation legislation.
Senator Taft, chairman of the
Senate Republican Policy Commit
tee, noted that the measure which
he steered through the special ses-
sion of Congress last month lays
down a step-by-step pattern for the
administration to follow in present.
ing any new control proposals.
Senator Taft told reporter he is
inclined to believe" the President
should be required to observe the
procedure outlined, rather than to
expect any final action on the stand
by wage-price control and rationing
bills now being considered BY the
Senate Banking Committee.
Called it Inadequate"
The law Senator Taft mentioned
Is the one Mr.. Truman in signing
termed "pitifully inadequate" to deal
with imitation. It provides for in
dustry-wide voluntary agreements
designed to hold down prices by
dividing up scarce commodities.
One section also says that when
ever the President finds there is
or threatens to be critical short
age" of any commodity, and that
there is no prospect of remedying
the situation except gy Govern
ment action, he shall:
/. Submit to Congress detailed
statement of the circumstances
which require action.
2. Outline in detail the admin
istration's plans for dealing with
the matter. For example, a plan
for meat rationing would have to
specify just how the program wo>-..
be handled.
3. Submit "a complete record of
the factual evidence" on which the
recommendations are based.
Is Days Allowed For Action.
Within IS days the Senate House
Economic Committee which Senator
Taft also heads would have to COM
plete hearings on the proposals and
make recommendations to Congress.
Senator Taft said it was suggested
at a meeting of Senate and House
Republican leaders earlier this week
that all anti-inflation legislation
be shelved until Congress sees what
use the administration makes OF the
law enacted during the special ses-
sion.
No agreement was reached on this
proposal, Senator Taft said, adding
he is inclined to favor instead re-
quiring Mr.. Truman to follow the
step-by-step pattern.
This could delay action, but on the
other hand the Republican majority
can name It's own time for taking
up any cost of living bills the Bank
ing Committees of either House may
approve.
Chairman Tobey Of the. Senate
Banking group refused to comment
on Senator Taft's ideas.
Grain Men 0puOSe Curbs.
Other Developments on the eco-l
romic 'front.'. ~ $3.50
I. A group Of grain industry, repr.
resentatives fatty opposed restoring
any price. rationing or ALLEGATION
controls. They told Senator Tobey's
committee last night such controls
would lead to economic chaos. sea- o
Q. Secretary of Interior Krug told
the House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee yesterday at looks Quite
likely that we will have to ration
fuel oil next winter" He said he is
dubious about production increasing
enough to avoid rationing.
8. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that its consumer price
index went up l per cent between
mid-November and mid-December.
Prices for all major cost of living
items climbed, BIS said.
The agency also reported the 18th
consecutive weekly rise in its whole
sale index, putting it only per cent
under the record peak recorded in
Nav, 1920. The wholesale index was
1.8 per cent above a month ago, up
IT'S per cent over last year and
65.5 above the 1926 average.