Rationed Britain

How long will price control and rationing last after the war is over?

From Britain last week came the answer that in the case of Britain food and clothing may be rationed for from three to five years. Reasons: 1) unless the war lasts so long that the United Nations build up a huge merchant fleet there will still be an acute shortage of shipping; 2) the needs for the rehabilitation of Europe will be immense; 3) demand will be so big as compared to supply that any sudden relaxation of controls would mean skyrocketing inflation.

In the U.S. price controls and rationing can probably be relaxed much sooner. For the U.S. is far less dependent than Britain on imports and shipping space. Thus Brazilian coffee will no doubt be rationed for a time after the war; but other foods--notably meats--should become plentiful faster than in England, and clothing, if rationed before war's end, should be produced in large quantity immediately after.

Nevertheless, Washington economists would like to see price ceilings continued long enough to avoid an inflation like that of 1920.

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