The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-11-16
ration points allocated supply
America may be shopping point bargain
BY ANN FRANCE WILSON

BY ANN FRANCE WILSON
NEA Service Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. IL -
American housewives will learn
about points" shortly after
Christmas.
Point values have been put
on rationed goods in England
and Office of Price Administra-
ton admits that the American
rationing system will follow
closely the British pattern.
So, American housewives
shopping lingo is about to
change for they will discuss the
point" value of various ration
ed goods instead of the price
And these may vary just the
way prices do. For example, il
the output of peas were in
creased and consumption re-
duced, making peas more abun-
dant, their point value might be
lowered by the OPA. Thus
there might be point bargain
sale of peas.
BOOK CONTAIN 4 NUMBERS
Though the general ration
books will not be distributed in
large cities before the first OF
the year they will appear in
middle-western and southern
rural areas before Christmas
making it possible for Christ
mas shoppers to pick up their
ration books on their one-day
trip to town.
The new books contain stamps
numbered !, 2, 5, and 8 units
(such as pounds, dozens and
quartS) or points. These four
numbers were not chosen by
chance. Mathematical experts
decided on them because they
add up to more different totals
than any other four numbers. In
fact, card in hand, Mrs. House
wife will be able to purchase
any item requiring from one to
sixteen points except four and
twelve points.
You are supposed to tear oil
your point coupons vertically
not horizontally. But conceiva.
bly, you could make A points by
tearing off two rs horizontally
Possibly, there will be no ration
ed goods requiring four or IL
points.
STATISTICIANS' HEADACHE
However, though the machin-
cry is all set and ration books
are rolling off the presses by
the thousands, statisticians have
far worse headache than that
of finding the four right numbers
for the ration books. Now they
must work out the total point
value of goods on hand in order
TO be able to distribute them
equally, since rationing means
equal distribution of a limited
supply.
Take beans, for example. The
total point value of all beans
must be compiled and then di-
vided by the number Of ration
book holders in order to divide
the beans equally. OPA admits
that the job of keeping the de-
mand within the supply is nc
small task.
To further complicate the sit.
uation, however, points will moi
be allotted to foods, supposins
foods are rationed, on the basis
of their relative food value only
Points will also be allotted ir
relation to supply and demand
Here again, supposing beans
were more abundant than peas
and at the same time less popu,
lar. The point value of beans
would then be lowered in order
TO stimulate the consumption oil
the more abundant commodity
In this respect point values will
be able to balance supply and
demand.
Meat, however, the one item
which il Is known will be ra-
toned, will probably not be in
cluded in the point system. AS il
England, housewives will have
TO choose one butcher and stic(l
by him for the duration. He
will keep track of his cuto.
mers' rations and also he wi \ be
able to gauge the amoyh ut OF
meat needed from the VI blesal'
ers for the week.
Though OPA is not mention