EMPHATIC PROTEST

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 124, 21 February 1944, Page 6

EMPHATIC PROTEST

President Vetoes Bill

WASHINGTON, February 18.

Congress has completed legislation banning food subsidies, in spite of the Administration’s warnings that it will mean a 3,000,000,000 dollars’ increase in food prices. Voicing his emphatic and vigorous disapproval, President Roosevelt vetoed the Bill, and in a message to Congress said: “The Bill is an inflation measure, a high cost of living measure, and a food shortage measure, which would raise the cost of food at'least 7 per cent, and the whole cost of living materially. It would reverse Congressional policy and repeal the Economic Stabilization Act. Mr. Roosevelt said that no major warring nation had been' able to stabilize living costs without subsidies. The Administration is seeking 1,500,600,000 dollars in subsidies for the purpose of holding down retail food prices during 1944 under the present Government programme by supporting the prices paid to the farmers, and also crop loans «nd soil conservation payments.