April 1951 COlflViERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 73 



NEW BASE PERIOD PLftMNED FOR CONTROII.IMG PRICES OT IMPORTS AT WHOLESALE AND RE- 

 TAIL ; Provisions of a tentative regulation which would set up special pricing 

 standards for all imported ccnmodities, except those specifically classified as 

 "essential" or "strategic," were discussed on iviarch 16 by the officials of the Of- 

 fice of Price Stabilization and the agency's new Import Industry Advisory Committee. 



The new regulation, expected to be issued soon, would establish a new base 

 period for controlling prices of imports at both the wholesale and retail level. 



Prices of imported conmodities now are controlled by the General Ceiling Price 

 Regulation at the. highest level they reached between December I9, I95O, and January 25, 

 1951— the base period established under the GCPR. Committee members said this base 

 period was not "broad enough" for the import trade because of long shipping distances 

 and the fact that most import contracts are made far in advance of delivery dates. 



Importers" representatives asked OPS officials for quick action on the proposed 

 new regulation. Ihey said the general price freeze had "stymied" their business to 

 such an extent that imports had fallen off "drastically" during the last two months. 



Interstate Commerce Commission 



FREIGHT RATES INCREASED FCgt 1951 : As a result of the railroads" request for 

 increases in freight rates and charges on an interim basis, the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission on March 12 made the following authorizations in Ex ParteNo. 175: 



Except as otherwise provided in these findings, all basic freight rates 

 and charges of petitioning railroads, including rates and charges for 

 the transportation of milk and cream in passenger or freight service 

 (including commodities listed in the milk and cream tariffs), may be 

 increased 4 percent within eastern territory, 2 percent within southern 

 territory, 2 percent within western territory, and 2 percent interterri- 

 torially between the three territories. 



The following are important exceptions to the above affecting the fishery in- 

 dustries: 



Carload shipments of canned or preserved food products (not cold-pack or 

 frozen) in packages, as specified in Item 49O of Tariff X-162-B, may be 

 increased as provided in the above paragrajii, subject to a maximum of 

 2 cents per 100 pounds. 



No increase is authorized in the charges for protective services pub- 

 lished in Perishable Protective Tariff No. I5, Agent quinn' s I.C.C. 

 No. 26. 



No increase is proposed or authorized in charges for demurrage on freight 

 oars. 



No increase is proposed or authorized in charges for handling, loading 

 Or unloading, export, import, coastwise, or inter-coastal traffic which 

 do not affect the measure of tne line-haul rate and are not in addition 

 to the line -haul rate. 



