Show I Ij 11 j I NIS w as ashington in oa i By Walter Shead S THE TWO political parties A AS prepare for the long battle to the November election it appears that the American people have some fine hairs to split to determine determine deter- deter i mine the winner of the presidential contest For as i is customary at the I close of the fiscal year every economist economist econ econ- government and private and andall andall andall all large business trade groups including including including in in- the United States Chamber Cham- Cham j ber of Commerce come out with their predictions for business durI during dur- dur I ing the coming year ear and all without exception predict business will be good and employment high In its prognostications the US U.S. Chamber reported a 40 billion inI increase in- in I J crease in the gross national product product product prod- prod during the past year and a rise of 13 billion in the national income i in th the first quarter of the year I Prices have remained stable personal personal per- per savings continued to climb tremendous expansions are planned by the oil Dil chemicals and electric power industries the defense program program program pro pro- gram is now really beginning to roll and will and will without undue undue undue un un- un- un due hardship to the civilian econ econ- omy The disturbing factor the Chambel Chamber Chamber Cham Cham- ber bel said was the ponderous government government government gov- gov payrolls Total civilian employment rose in May to million and the roll of unemployed remained at a war post-war low v of 16 million In any ny ordinary year such sucha 1 la a rosy report as this particularly from the most constant critic of the administration in power would be enough to win an election S e However it appears this one is not going to be any ordinary elec elec- tion One issue of course will be beon beon on foreign policy and the Korean war The congress adjourned for forthe forthe forthe the conventions with more work left undone than was accomplished As is usually the case for six months the congress fritters away long hours bours on useless debate and then come down to the last week and passes a whole raft of measures of which 75 15 per cent of the membership membership membership member member- ship does docs not know the content On the huge money appropriations over which they have wrangled all sessions huge sums are added or slashed from the totals and a mere handful of one house or or orthe the other ratify by voice vote after niter hearing reports of the conference commit commit- tees S e e eThe The house really went wild on the controls bills and was bailed out by the Senate just as it happened in the passing of the 1951 version of the defense production product n act There were many amendments slashes cuts contradictions and the conference con con- Terence ference committee worked long hours in bringing some semblance of order or-order to the weakened bill While it was far from the administration bill presented it still gave controls over wages prices rents credits and allocations for another 10 months As it left the house it was wasa a politic club in the hands of the administration since the house had killed price controls but hung onto wage controls thus lifting the lid lidon lidon lidon on everything the working man had to buy but keeping a lid on his wages and and that act may have repercussions in many labor centers centers centers cen cen- In the coming election S e e Overriding veto of the McCarran bill on immigration tion was was- wasa a bitter pill for the President to take the proponents winning by one vote over the necessary two While the President admitted there were some good features in the bill he said they were so embedded in un-American un and other bad features features features fea fea- tures it was impossible for him to sign it However th the bill becomes law at least until the next congress |