Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-22
Groeers Suspend Sale
OF Coffee, Prepare
For Ration Program
Retail Purchases Stop
Until Next Sunday
Under OPA Order

Coffee was added to the list of
war casualties last night as grocers
suspended sales at midnight to pre-
pare for rationing, which begins one
week from today.
When sales are resumed next Sun
day, every person Is years or older
will be entitled to purchase pound
of coffee, after surrendering coupon
No. q from War Ration Book No. /.
This pound of coffee must last five
weeks-until January 3.
The OPA announced yesterday
that immediate steps were being
taken to bring boarding houses,
restaurants and other institu-
tional users under tighter rationing
control.
Must Keep Records.
The first step in that direction
was the announcement that all such
users would be required to keep
records OF virtually all foods and
beverages served in their establish
ments during December. These
records will form the basis for
future computations by OPA.
At the same time, an OPA official
again warned that supplies of meat
and butter were getting short. Meat
rationing is to begin within a few
weeks, and there is a possibility
that butter will also be rationed
early next year.
The freeze order" which halted
coffee sales last night was issued in
order to give merchants time to
get in. stocks to meet sales under
rationing. Stores this week will
be able to obtain coffee from whole
salers IN a quantity based on past
Sales.
The only sales this week will be
to hotels. hospitals, restaurants and
other institutional users. These must
register tomorrow, Tuesday or We'd
nesday to obtain purchase certifi-
Gates.
No Scarcity Expected.
Co1ee wholesalers here declared
there would be plenty of coffee on
hand to meet the demand when ra-
tloning starts. OPA officials urged
consumers not to rush for coffee on
the first day, but to buy it only
when it is needed
Sales of coffee in restaurants and
other public eating places will con-
tlnue much as normal during the
next few weeks. These places will
be able to obtain for use during De-
cember and January the same
amount Of coffee they used during
September and October of this year
less the amount on hand as of
last midnight,
The institutional users will be
given complete information on the
new OPA program to obtain data
on their business when they register
for their coffee allotment this week.
These users are to register at the
same place where they obtained
their sugar rations.
Under the new program all in
stitutional users will have to keep
exact data on the numbers of per-
sons they serve during December. on
the gross revenue from this service,
on the quantity of a number of
specified foods used and on hand
at the close of business December 81.
Paul M. OLeary, deputy OPA ad-
ninistrator in charge of rationing,
explained the reasons for this as
follows
Regardless of which food COM
modities are rationed or not ra-
toned, the OPA needs the fullest
information on the use of avail
able supplies. Boarding houses, res
taurants and hotels are among the
largest users of all foods and in
many instances it is impossible to
procure from them more than the
most general kind of information.
Other Rationing Forecast.
The appearance of the new uni
versal" ration books early next year
is expected to facilitate the ration
ing of other commodities as the
need arises.
1t is believed that meat rationing
will begin about January Is. The
new book, which can be used for
rationing number of articles at
the same time, will be used for
meat.
An OPA official expressed the
opinion we might have to ration
butter eventually but added that
we've got no immediate program
under way"
The War Production Board an
nounced Friday that 40 per cent of
the butter stocks in cold storage
were being taken over for use by
the armed forces and lease-lend.