Evening star., 1943-03-14
Brown Will Raise
Meat Allowances
As Supplies Permit
Vegetable Growers Get
Higher Price ScoIe to
BuIk RetuiI Increases

Price Administrator PrentiSs M
Brown promised yesterday that al
lowances under meat rationing. ex-
pected to average 2 pounds a week
for civilians when the program be-
gins March %, will be liberalized
whenever it become possible to do
So"
Meanwhile, the Government an
nounced a combination price sup
port and subsidy program covering
eight canning vegetable crops. The
program is designed to protect con-
sumerS against major price in
creases, while allowing growers 20
to so per cent higher prices than
last year.
The crops affected are tomatoes,
sweet corn, snap beans, green peas.
lima beans. beets, carrots and cab
bage for kraut.
20 to 50 Per Cent Increase.
Under the program, professors will
pay farmers prices stipulated by the
Agriculture Department. These
prices range 20 to so per cent higher
than last year. depending upon the
type of vegetable.
The departments Commodity
Credit Corp. will then 60 through
the technical procedure OF buying
the raw vegetables from professors
or Gamers at the same prices paid
by them and then selling the vege-
tables back to the professors and
Gamers at last years prices The
differences, in effect a subsidy, will
be borne by the Government.
Later. the Offce of Price Admin
tstration will set fiat dollars-and-
cents prices for these canned vege-
tables. These prices will be by re-
gions and will be determined by
grades. can sizes. types and styles
The OPA said the price ceilings
would remain at approximately the
same average level as prevailed last
year under the individual Gamer
ceiling prices then in effect. Some
prices may be higher and some
lower, however the OPA said.
Meat Flow Fluctuates.
In discussing meat rationing yes
terday, MI. Brown pointed out that
the flow Of meat to market fluctu-
ates from day to day and the perish
able nature Of meat. butter and the
other items to be rationed will make
changes necessary from time to
time
His statement gave no indication
OF the size of the proposed ration,
except to say:
The size of the indiyIdual ration
will largely depend On individual
preferences. The heavy cheese
eater can spend as many points
Coupon values as he has for that
product, and the heavy meat eater
can do likewise. Those who use
butter and lard in substantial guam
titles will be able to satisfy their
needs in the same manner. although.
OF course, all who do so will thus be
reducing the amounts of other prod
ucts they can buy.
L must caution housewives that
they cannot expect to be able to buv
every kind and variety of meat on
the day that rationing begins. and
perhaps FOR a week or two after.
However, since demand is being
spread evenly by rationing. it is ex-
pected that before many days taftcr
rauonine begins, meat will now into
shortage areas in varieties and
AMOUNTS sufficient TO give every one
es much as his ration allows"
Fear Hamburger Rush.
Tentative plans for meat ration
Ing would provide 81 pounds of
hamburger or only l'a pounds OF
sirloin steak person a week. II was
learned today from persons partici-
pating IN the drafting of the pro-
gram.
The wide discrepancy between the
proposed coupon costs of meat has
caused trade sources to complain to
the ONCE Of Price Administration
that virtually the entire civilian
population might switch home con-
sumption from steaks and other cuts
to hamburger almost exclusively
This might send unmanageable
crowds TO the restaurants. where
steaks may be eaten without cou-
financial losses TO meat retailers.
All livestock slaughterers operating
under Federal inspection were Or
dered yesterday by Secretary Of Ag-
rlculture Wlckard to set aside Spe-
clflc percentages of their meat out
put for Government war uses for
the period Of March IA to April 30
Supplies Held for War.
Those percentages by classes OF
meat were:
Beef. other than Canner and cut
ter grades, 40 per cent; Gamer and
cutter grades steers. he!fers and
cows 80 per cent; veal. 80 Per cent,
lamb and mutton, 35 per cent, pork
As per cent
Mr.. Wlckard said the unreserVec
portion Of the packers production
would be available for civilian con-
sumption, and that this should al
low the sale Of about the same
quantity Of meat TO consumers as
packers are permitted to sell fol
civilian consumption under OPA
rationine regulations.
The reservation order does no
apply TO small local slaughtercrs o.
packing plants which do not opera t,
under meat inspection services OF
the Agriculture Department. Those
elauehterers, however, are subiec'
to OPA restrictions on sale OF meat.
for civilian use.