Evening star., 1948-07-24
Truman Seeks
Meat Rationiinq
President and Aides
Work on MESSAGE
During River Cruise
By ChoImers M. Roberts

President Truman was off on
a weekend Potomac River cruise
today as he works on the mes
sage he will deliver to the special
session of Congress next Tues
day.
Details of the message were still
secret. Many are yet to be worked
out, White House source said to-
day. A major hurdle is the devising
OF a plan to ration meat without
resorting to the old .OPA coupon
system, it is understood.
Members of the Presidents staff
who have been helping with the
message, were to join him today
on the presidential yacht Williams
burg for the trip, expected to last
until about 3 pm. tomorrow.
The White House last night an
nounced details of two other legis-
latlve measures the President will
call on Congress to pass. One would
broaden the recent measure to ad-
init displaced persons to this Nation
and the other would restore congress
sional appropriation cuts in public
power projects.
Move Aided by Price Data.
From Capitol Hill there were more
signs, meanwhile, that the Presi-
dents program will be listened to
but that not much of it is likely to
be enacted. Southern Senators also
made it clear once more they are
ready to filibuster any civil rights
legislation the President may ask
for or the Republicans bring to the
Senate floor for consideration.
The Presidents attack on the
high cost of living, the major an
nounced reason for the special ses-
sion, was given boost yesterday by
new Bureau of Labor Statistic fig
ure showing the cost of living at an
all time high with foods, especially
meats, the chief drain on the con-
sumers' pocketbooks.
1t was learned that the meat ra-
t1oning scheme the White House Is
now working on will be linked with
price controls. The Administration
hopes to develop a plan for controls
at the wholesale levels but it was
not certain today that it can be
done to MIR. Truman,s satisfaction.
The last OPA administrator, Paul
A. Porter, was added to the White
House staff for temporary duty yes
terday to help with the anti i-infla-
ton program. His appointment was
considered a tipoff that a revival
OF some sort of OPA scheme Is likely
to be requested by the President,
though the chances of approval by
the Republican-controlled Congress
are considered practically zero.
The President also may ask for
power to control wages, but this will
be on a standby basis, 1t was
learned. while the rationing-price
control program is designed for i'm
mediate operation.
Scarcity Minor Problem.
"We certainly have to 20 further
today than we did last November. /"
a White House official said in refer
ring to the 10-point imitation control
program advanced by Mr.. Truman
at that time. That program included
standby controls for both prices and
wages.
1.-THE worst Of 1t is," this source
added, that the old scarcity prob
lem doesn't enter into many of the
current high prices. It does in meat,
OF course. In general, though, it
appears that price controls are the
chief thing we need"
The official was particularly bitter
about the new increase of nearly
SO ton in steel prices, rise which
will be felt through the entire do
mestic economy in a few months,
he said.
Among those joining the President
today on the Williamsburg are
Presidential Secretary Charles G.
Ross and Samuel I. Roseman, New
York attorney and former special
counsel to both President Truman
and President Roosevelt. He has
advised on many recent Truman
speeches though most of the draft
ing work has been done by Presi-
Dental Counsel Clark Clifford. The
Council of Economic Advisers also
is aiding in preparing the anti-in-
f1ation sections of next Tuesdays
message and the companion bill to
be sent to the Hill.
The White House announcement
on the displaced persons bill said
the President would submit an
amendment to the present law which
the President has said discriminates
against Jews and Catholics.
The new bill would raise the
number of persons who could come
to the United States from 202 900
to 100000 in four years. The an
nouncement said it would eliminate
features of the law whose effect is
to discriminate by reason of race or
(see CONGRESS, Page A-3)