Evening star., 1943-09-13
Sharp Price Ro||back
On Seven Food Items
Planned by Bow|es
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.


of seven food products. which is
expected to result in a general
rollback in the cost of living by
23 per cent, close to the Septem-
ber, 1912, levels. was announced
today by Chester Bowles, general
manager of the Office of Price
Administration.
While some details of the pro-
gram have yet to be worked out,
Mr. Bowles said the new action will
mean lower consumer prices for
apples, oranges, onions, potatoes.
lard, vegetable oils and peanut but
ter.
New prices for apples will be set
at an average of cents per pound,
onions, 6 cents; oranges, 81 cents;
potatoes, 3.5 cents; peanut butter,
265 cents; lard, approximately 17.9
cents. Prices of other oils and short
enings will be dropped about cent
pound.
Cost About s100, ,O00, 900.
Cost of the entire program was
estimated at approximately $780,
100000.
Partial effects of the program will
be felt by mid-October or November,
Mr.. BoWles told a press conference.
1t will be followed up with a price
program on winter fruits and vege-
tables, which Mr.. Bowles said would
bring their prices down to about
Is per cent less than last winter"
The S100,O00,000 now is available,
but additional funds from Congress
will be necessary, he said, to hold
down the price of milk.
Report to Be Issued Tomorrow.
Meanwhile. Mr.. Bowles prepared
a progress report for issuance to-
morrow in which he expressed con-
fldence that living costs can be
pushed back to levels of last Sep
tember as called for by the Stabi-
lization Act.
Mr.. Bowles, who upon his appoint
ment in late July told reporters he
wanted Gust six weeks" to achieve
results IN putting OPA's house in
order. listed among his accomplish
mentS the following:
l. Ousting of professors" from
price control jobs and the appoint
ment OF businessmen to replace
them, including James F.. BroWnlee,
president of Frankfort Distilieries.
as chief price executive.
2. Streamlining the OPA struc-
ture, including the formation of
new consumer goods division, which
controls prices of all retail goods ex-
cept food.
Legal Staff Reduced.
8. Reduction of OPA's legal staff
from a peak of 2,40o to 1.840, of
which 400 are in Washington, with
the remainder stationed in the field
handling compliance and investi-
gative work.
4. Formation of 172 industry ad-
vlsory committees to effect i'm
proved working relationships with
business. Another 100 committees
Will be set up next month.
5. Removal of grade labelling re-
strictions from $50 price regulations,
as required by Congress.
6. Removal of the pleasure -driv-
ing ban in the East and the be.
ginning Of a campaign to tighten
gasoline rationing controls through
Issuance Of B and C books,
Seek to Simplify Regulations.
George Burke, appointed OPA
general counsel several months ago,
took the lead in wedding large
number of lawyers out of the OPA
organization. Accompanying the re-
duction in number of lawyers, Mr..
Burke also is engaged in a program
to simplify price and rationing reg
ulations.
The new program to push back
prices OF the large number of food
products will bring the cost of liv-
ing index to within 2 per cent of
the levels of last September, it was
said. officials declared that liv-
ing costs have been reduced more
than is per cent during the last
three months by the rollback' in
meat and butter costs and the nor
NAL seasonal decline in prices of
fresh vegetables.