6 Heppner Gazette Times, December 16, 1943
Washington D. C, Dec 16
GOVERNMENT statistics can just
ly be viewed with suspicion. When
Prentiss Brown resigned as head
of OPA Oct. 21, he issued a state
ment in which he declared that
OPA had prevented inflation; that
the cost of living was forced down
and that the average weekly wage
had been increased 33 percent, cor
poration profits after taxes were up
15 percent over 1941, and that the
cost of living was up only 12 per
cent. The administration promptly
took credit for keeping living costs
down over a period of 22 months
and putting brakes on inflation.
Secretary of labor Frances Per
kins, one week later, Oct. 28, 1943,
issued a report sinking the optimis
tic picutre of Prentiss Brown by
reporting how prices had been go
ing sky high since August, 1942.
In one week, judging, from these
two press releases, the picture was
entirely changed and only a subsidy
to the farmers would prevent wild
inflation. Having first accepted the
pleasing report of Prentiss Brown,
two days after the report by Mad
am Perkins the president sent a
message to congress demanding a
subsidy and a roll-back as the only
way to remedy the high cost of
living, which is another way of re
ferring to inflation. It is assumed
that the two reports were based on
the same statistics, but whereas
Prentiss Brown saw only sunhine
and happiness Madam Perkins was
convinced of gloomy times ahead.
For the purpose of scaring con
gress the president, naturally, de
cided the report of the secretary of
labor was better than that by Mr.
Perkins interpretation of the statis
Brown, and as a matter of fact, the
tics showing the constant increase
in living costs is more nearly cor
rect, as civilian consumers are
aware.
Then again, the president some
time ago stated that oil production
in the nation had jncreased 65 per
cent since the start of the war. Ha
rold Ickes, fuel administrator, who
likes to go along with the president
challenged the statement and said
that production had increased only
15 percent. Subsequently the fig
ures of "Honest Harold proved to
be correct. The deduction is that
not all the statistics presented by
the president held water, because
they have been handed to him by
buraucrats who are anxious to put
their best foot forward and their
figures are not carefully checked.
After all, the occupant of the
White House has been so absorbed
in international affairs that he has
neglected the domestic scene and
has to rely for his information
uipon the various bureaus. For
merly the president would dig into
a problem to satisfy himself, but
came the war and that has claimed
his major attention.
WHY Harry Hopkins and his
wife left the White House and
rented an old house in Georgetown
has caused endless gossip in social
and political circles. One theory is
that Mrs. Hopkins insisted on leav
ing the presidential mansijon be
cause she wanted a home of her
own and was weary of being a
guest of the Roosevelts. Harry,
however, was quite content to be
the "man who came to dinner" and
wished to remain under the same
roof with his pal, the president; but
his bride's insistence prevailed. La
test yam in the national capital is
that Hopkins and Willkie under
stand each other and that it was
Harry Hopkins who talked the
president into assigning a plane
crew for Willkie to circumnavigate
the globe last year when planes and
pilots were sadly needed in the Eu
ropean theateir.
NUMBER one developmen t on
the Columbia river as a post war
project will be construction of Um
atilla dam. It is estimated by the
army engineers that the cost will
be $47,000,000 and that it will .have
power as well as navigation. This
was intended as the first step in
the development of the Columbia,
but later a site was found at Bon
neville, he project is assigned to
Washington and Oregon as both
states will be benefitted although
from a navigation standpoint it will
be better for the Columbia basin
when the reclamation project is
completed as it will furnish water
transportation.
THE recent order of the U. S.
maritime oommission suspending
Sunday work in several of the large
northwest shipyards is the fore
runner of abolishing one complete
shift; in many of the yards. Before
next' spring it is expected the mari
time commission will discontinue
the graveyard shifts. Shipbuilding past year have been relatively
schedules have been maintained small as compared to launching,
and production of freighters is well The United States now has the
in advance of present needs. Losses largest fleet in the world, and also
from U-boat-sinkings during the the largest navy.
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