Evening star., 1943-07-19
Cafes Ordered
To Roll Back
Prices Monday
Food, Liquor Costs
Will Be Lowered to
April 4-10 Level

Effective at 1901 am. next
Monday, prices of food and bev--
erages sold in eating and drink
ing establishments in Washing
ton will be rolled back to the"
prices charged from April 4 to
10, under an order issued today
by Sylvan L, Joseph, regional
OPA administrator for this area
The order will not affect Vir-4
ginia, but includes Maryland. Della
ware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
New York
Menus from all restaurants and
hotels in Washington are in the
hands of local rationing boards for
the period April 4-l0 for use as a.
basis for enforcing the rollback.
The Hotel Association of WASH
ington feels that the action of OPA
in fixing the price levels as of April
is fair according to Arthur J.
Harnett. executive secretary of the
association. The organization in
Cludes about 80 hotels with 30 per
cent of the hotel occupancy of the
city.
Affects 250,OOO Restaurants
The order provides freezing OF
prices at OPA levels charged for the
seven-day period. April 4 to TO- in
elusive, and affects 250,000 restau-
rants.
It was further explained that the
order applies to all food and beVer-
ages served for consumption on the
premises. 1t also applies to al
coholic beverages served without
food.
Mr.. Joseph emphasized that the
order did not preclude rollbacks of
prices in individual establishments
if improper prices were found.
Mr.. Joseph said restaurant prices
have risen and are threatening to-
rise further to an extent inconsist-
ent with the Price Control Act and
the Presidents hold-the-ll order
He added that surveys indicated
that prices charged April 4-l0 we're
generally fair and equitable
April Records Filed.
An official statement from WASH
ington OPA headquarters was eX-
pected to be issued sometime todav,
Plans for enforcement wero unoer-
stood to be prepared, The order had
not been received up to an early
hour this afternoon, however.
The menus from all hotels, res
taurants and other places serving
food were filed with local rationing
boards last April. under an oloer
issued through local OPA head
quarters Most Of the hotels and
restaurants in the downtown area
filed their menues with Ration
Board No 10. located in the tenn
porary building at Fourteenth street
and Pennsylvania avenue NV.
There are about 2,200 restaurants
in Washington. according to the
Washington Restaurant Assocla-
tion.
Explaining the hotels attitude,
! Mr. Harnett said not all foods pur-
chased by the hotels have ceiling
prices. The ones on which ceiling
prices are fixed include processed
! foods, meats and fats, so the eating
| places can count on these prices
not increasing.
If the foods on which there are
no ceilings and which are not Yet
rationed do not rise in prices, the
! hotels will be able to hold the line
of April prices, Mr.. Harnett be-
/ lieves.
Hopes for Hardship Clause.
He hopes, however, there is in the
( order what is known as Hardship
clause providing for appeal by the
/ hotels in case food prices. wages or
other factors entering into costs rise
to the point where eating houses
would suffer loss.
District OPA headquarters had re-
ceived no official word of the new
order up to noon today, so no
comment was forthcoming. Such
orders usually are received here by
wire
Robert J. Wilson, executive secre-
tary of the Washington Restaurant
Association. in a statement issued
from New London. Conn, where he
is on vacation said:
1T is important that restaurant
owners abide by the freeze order
and not charge any more than was
charged during the period of April
to TO-
IF the restaurant for any reason
las increased prices since this freeze
period they should voluntarily re-
duce their prices at once"