BROAD POWERS TO CONTROL INFLATION

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1947, Page 5

BROAD POWERS TO CONTROL INFLATION

Received Wednesdav, 7 p.m. WASHIX CrTON, Dec. 9. The first piece of legislation detailing President Trurnan 's anti-inflation pro granime, in the fonn of a Hi 1 1 which would give the (}overnment powers to ration food, buy entire crops and broacl prioritv and allocation powers over scarce industrial materials, was submitted tO'the Seuatc judiciarv sub-commit-tee today bv the Merretary of Commerce, Mr. Harriman. Speeifie allocation powers were asked over iron, steel, grain, riee, dried beans and peas. fttts, oils, margarine, soap, livcstock, poultrv and milk. The Bill also would authorise I'resident Trurnan, after publie. hearings, to alloeate other materials if he found sliortages affecting industrial production, cust of living, national defonce and foreign policy. The proposed [inwers would re.niain in force until March, 1950. Mr. Harriman told the sub-eommittee. however, that the A dministration (tui not intend to use prioritv and allocation powers on a sea e approaching tlie wartime basis. The Hill wtis drafted in response to eontinuous Re]nti)lican requests a's to just what Ihe A dministration wanted. It appears certain, however, that Congress will not act on rne measures this session. The Republieans viewed it as a cnse of asking " too much too late'' and proeeeded with their own plans to enaqt legislation next week which would extend exports controls as the only compulsory measure. The RepublieAn programme, as tenta.tively outlinod, would seek to halt the price spiral through other volyntary measures rather tlian through the "standby authority'' requesled by President Trurnan.