Evening star., 1943-04-08

dustry to such an extent that unless
checked at once, very serious conse-
quences will result"
MI Patman pointed out that evil
dence before the committee showed
mat the "interlopers" in the pack
ing lndustry-the black market on
erators-are getting 10 cents or more
a pound than the established ceiling
price. which. he added. in a car of
4O:ooo pounds would represent an
Illicit profit of $4,000 a car"
The phase that particularly con-
Germs this committee, he declared
is that unless these illicit opera
tons are eliminated they NAV cause
a breakdown in the morale of our
people. This will certainly reflect
itself in repudiation of the Price
Control Act
= The thing that I fear most is
that unless this criminal situation
is brought under complete control
we may experience something SIM
liar to the bootleg days when un-
suspecting people drank bootleg
whisky, which, in numerous cases
has caused blindness and other cases
death"
Sanitation Disregarded.
The operators of the black mar
ket are not concerned with what
happens TO the consumers of their
product Mr. Patman declared
adding that their slaughtering is
clandestlnelv done in numerous in
stances without regard to sanitation
and inspection.
Under the circumstances, he
continued, there is but one thing
leit-to ferret out and punish those
who are operating black markets
and to insist that the provisions of
the Price Control Act be followed
TO the letter, rather than be based
upon alleged ideals that are not
practical, create confusion, needless
expenses and force independent en-
terprlses out of business through
losses and harassment incident to
an honest endeavor to comply with
the law.
One thing I emphatically object
10 Is the failure of the administra
tors OF price control to carry out
pam and unmistakable language of
the acts of Congress. Another is
the failure of the administrators of
the price-control law to correct their
known mistakes and obvious errors
further. the delay in granting any
KIND OF action has contributed Il
much of the i'll will that is prevalent
IN the country toward the Govern
ment at this time"
Imitation Curb Conceded.
Mr.. Patman added that las an
noylng and harassing" as the ad-
mlnlstration OF price control has
oeen IN many respects, we mus,
concede that we would have already
laced ruinous imitation had not the
prlce-control acts been passed by
Congress"
Mr.. Patman announced during the
nearing that the committee would
not carry out its original plan to call
as witness Nathan Krupnick, an
ofncial OF a packing company in
Paterson, N. j., who, it was believed
could throw some light on black
market operations.
He explained that Krupnick had
recently been indicted in Newark
along with 10 other individuals and
seven packing house firms.
George A. Casey, president of the
National Independent Meat Packers
Association. told the committee that
OPA regulations affecting meat
packers are arbitrary, capricious
and confscatory."
He said the price margins allowed
meat packers are insufficient for
packers to remain in business, add
ing that good citizens are appealing
to the law and order to straighten
this thing out
Whereupon. Mr.. Patman and Mr..
Halleck promised that something
will be done"