Evening star., 1943-09-28
Butter Ration Value
Raised Four Points
By0PA;;ScarcityC
Revised Schedule Also
Increases Coupons Needed
For Pork, Some Cheeses
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.
With production in September
10 per cent under last year and
civilian supplies dwindling, the
Office of Price Administration to-
day raised the ration cost of
creamery butter four points-to
16 points a pound - double the
value when controlled distribu-
ton began last spring. The
change is effective next Sunday.
While the increase in point value
of butter was the most important
change made n the October table of
items in the meats, cheese, fats and
oils program, the cost of eight
standard pork cuts were raised one
and two points. In addition, farm or
country butter was raised four points
a pound-from to 10.
Standard cuts of beef, veal and
lamb remain unchanged from Sep
tember levels. Eighteen meat items
used largely for industrial purposes,
such as brains, kidneys, pork ears,
tails and snouts, were removed from
the official table and may be pur-
chased point free.
Cheese Also Raised.
All cheeses in OPA's group 2 and
3 were raised one point in value.
These include cream cheese, Neuf-
chatel, creamed cottage cheese, and
cream spread which were given a
value of three points, and Swiss,
bleu. camembert and munster, which
were raised to six points pound.
Earlier, OPA released october
point changes for canned and proc
essed foods. including decreases for
canned snap beans and corn, sharp
rises for half dozen fruit items aid
slight increases in values of aSpara-
gus and mushrooms. From the con-
sumer's standpoint, it was said, the
lowering of point values for beans
and corn, two of the ''big four" of
canned goods, will more than offset
the more numerous increases.
The great increase in the ration
value of butter places it almost be-
yond the means of small families if
they are to have any quantity of
meats and other foods in the brown
stamp" program. 1t will require a
weeks allotment of points to pur-
chase pound.
Pork Cuts Raised.
While OPA said the increase was
necessary because Of dWindling sup
plies, lowered production and con-
tinued heavy consumption near
producing areas, it was recalled that
the Government has encouraged
diversion of dairy output from but
ter production SO that more fluid
milk would be available. The value
of country butter was raised, it was
said, because of the normal decline
in production which takes place at
this season of the year.
Three pork cuts were raised 2
points pound each. These are
center chops, from to II points,
and loin center roasts, also from
9 to II, and spareribs from Q to 4
points. The following cuts were
raised l point a pound: Loin chops
and tenderloin to II points, loin
roasts to 8, loin center roasts to IL,
shoulder butt half roasts. bone in,
to 8 points same roast with bone
out to 9, and Canadian bacon to
points.
Despite the fact that the over
all meat picture" is expected to
improve greatly in October, OPA
said it was unable to lower point
values because of heavier Govern
n1ent requirements. Ofncials said
IT is the policy of military, lease
lend and other agencies to purchase
a larger share of their needs when
meat production is high, thus en-
abling them to decrease purchases
when supplies are low. Another
factor preventing a ration increase.
they said, was that meat production
in the first half of this month fell
10 per cent below estimates.
Snap Beans Lowered.
The l8 meat items made ration
free represent only is per cent of
the total point value of rationed
meat. Most of the items are used
principally by industrial users,
though some, such as pigs feet,
brains and beef tongues, are sold to
consumers Some are used in MAX
ing sausage, others for animal feed,
fertilizer, etc.
On the list of canned vegetables,
snap beans in the popular No. size
were lowered in value from 10 to
points, corn in No. cans from 16
to 13 points and vacuum packed
corn in 12-ounce containers from Il
TO 10 points. Asparagus in No. 2
cans was raised points to 18, and
mushrooms in 4-ounce cans Q points
to 5.
Grape juice in quart containers
was increased from a value of three
to six points. OPA said this means
that more grapes are being used for
jams and jellies which civilians will
use to spread over the larger
amounts of bread which food ex-
perts expect them to eat. Value of
apricots in No. 21s cans was raised
from 27 to Sc points; figs. same size
can, from 13 to 81 points; plums and
prunes, also in No 2la cans, from
7 to Is points. The following items,
all sold in No. 2 cans, likewise were
increased in value: Red sour cherries
from IA to Is points; all other cher
ries from IA to %; grapefruit from
10 to 10.
An important change among proc
essed foods was that dried peas
and lentils were made ration free
on recommendation of the War Food
Administration. These items. which
cost four points q pound in August,
had been reduced TO one point early
this month. OPA said the dried
peas and lentilS were removed from
rationing because this years crop
is the greatest on record.
Blue stamps in War Ration Book
2. U, V and w, have been validated
for use in buying processed foods
in the new ration period beginning
rext Sunday, and will remain good
tIHrO1Iri1 nrtober On The y,o,r ro,inr