Show Out of Merchandisers Merchandisers' Merchandisers Income Pric Vill Will Take Big Slash WASHINGTON April 30 UP The The imposition of general price ceilings next month will force retailers retailers re re- 1 wholesalers and manufacturers manufacturers manufacturers to take a huge cut In gross income price administration officials officials officials said Thursday Maximum prices fixed at the highest March levels will reduce the spread between retailers on one hand and wholesalers and manufacturers on the other by about the officials estimated The spread a a technical term meaning the difference in gross incomes of the three selling groups will will be set at rigid levels by the I price freezing order Retail associations already have I protested vigorously with predictions predictions predictions that hundreds of thousands of stores will be forced out of business business business busi busi- ness by the 0 O P A order M Main in complaint is that the order fixes both wholesale and retail prices at the levels of the same month During March the retailers retailers retailers retail retail- ers say they were selling goods purchased at February wholesale which prices rices which were In most cases lower ower than the March wholesale prices rices The solution proposed by 0 O P A Administrator Leon Henderson was a reduction in overhead items of the retailers to absorb the proportional proportional pro- pro cost increase Describing Describing ing ng the American retail service as the most luxurious in the world he said delivery services could be cut down and salesmen could go without flowers in their button holes In cases of particular hardship o 0 OP P A officials said it may be possible le to roll back some of the costs to the wholesalers and manufacturers manu manu- Mrs R R. M M. Kiefer secretary secretary secretary sec sec- of the National Association of Retail Grocers said that many grocery items would have to be besold besold besold sold at cost unless the wholesale ceiling was rolled back to levels of some previous month |