On the Level

After two years of upcreep, the Federal Government's consumer price index leveled out last summer, even slipped downward a little in August under the delayed drag of the recession. Last week the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that in October the ups and downs averaged out and the index held steady for the second month in a row at the August level of 123.7 (the 1947-49 average = 100). Up: new cars, women's and girls' clothing, rents, medical care, cooking gas, fresh vegetables, beef, milk. Down: house furnishings, men's and boys' clothing, fresh fruits, pork, eggs, poultry (lowest level since December 1942), restaurant meals (first decline since June 1956). The long-range outlook as most experts saw it: renewed upcreep in prices under the push of wage raises and heavy Government expenditures. But before the climb started, harried consumers found it nice to rest on a plateau.

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