Evening star., 1950-10-17
Symington Still Hopes
To Make Price, Wage
Curbs a Last Resort
By Francis P. DouqIos

SWs W. " 6WSa bNVSVhh
By Francis P. Douglas
The administration today stood
fast on its policy of controlling
imitation by credit controls and
higher taxes, with price and wage
controls as last resort.
w. Stuart Symington, chairman
of the National Security Resources
Board warned that the rearma-
ment program will mean "cuts and
sacrifices" by Americans in their
living standard.
He said hours of work must be
longer and taxes higher, and he
intimated that still sitter restric-
tions may be placed on installment
buying.
Statement Made Before Curbs.
Mr.. Symington's statements
were made in an interview with
the United States News and World
Report, made public last night.
Mr.. Symington's statements to
the magazine, although published
yesterday. were given about two
weeks ago according to the NSRB.
The reference to tighter credit
controls. therefore. was well in
advance of the Federal Reserve
Boards new regulation announced
Friday night and effective yes
terday.
AS for still stronger credit curbs,
Mr.. Symington was described by
associates as believing that they
might well wait on the results of
the present ones.
Valentine Arrives Here.
They conceded approximately
with the arrival in Washington of
DR.. Alan Valentine to take up his
job as economic stabilization ad-
ministrator. DR.. Valentine, busy
with finding space for his new
agency. refused to discuss his work
until he has quarters for it.
Mr.. Symington, named by Pres
ident Truman to coordinate the
mobilization program, while ex-
pressing the hope that wage and
price controls can be avoided,
added, "We- are now getting or
ganized for such price and wage
action as may be needed"
He said that if price and wage
controls have to come, it will be
because other measures have not
been imposed strongly enough "or
because business or labor, or both.
have taken advantage of the sit
uation to raise prices or wages as
much as the economic situation
enables them to-"
Developments to Be Studied,
DR.. Valentines agency will study
price and wage developments and
policies to apply to them, and
plan direct controls for use only
If necessary.
There is no need now for price
controls on farm products, &C
cording to Ralph S. Trigg, the
Agriculture Departments produc-
ton and marketing administrator.
He said in an address at Atlantic
City that there is no desire to
put on ANY controls which are
not absolutely necessary"
Auto Cutback Hinted.
Meanwhile, William H. Harri-
son, head of the National Pro-
duction Authority, met yesterday
with leaders in the automobile in
dustry to discuss stretching the
supply of steel over both military
and civilian demands.
Afterwards Mr.. Harrison limited
that there may be some cutback
in automobile production in the
future, saying that the automo-
bile men had shown a willing
ness to absorb any necessary i'm
pact on production that military
needs might require"
Henry Ford II, head of the
Ford Motor Co., said, however
that nothing took place at the
meeting to point to cut in auto
mobile production. Mr.. Harrison
agreed there had been no formal
proposals"
Mr.. Harrison at the same time
turned down a proposal that the
NPA stop the sale of a fifth tire
with new cars. The suggestion
came from retail tire dealers
anxious to assure replacement
tires for old cars.
The Agriculture Department.
came up with the announcement
that there has been significant
progress toward production of
natural rubber in this country.
The department reported devel-
opment of new and high-yielding
strains Of the Y,1hher vin1I;pol