Evening star., 1943-05-09
New Ceilings on 278
Items Of Food 10 Go
In Effect Tomorrow
Prices First Of Series
To Be Announced
By District OPA

To Be Announced
By District OPA
Continued From First Page)
stores or large independent stores
Future ceilings will be established
for stores falling in classes 2, 3 anc
4. Glass 2 includes independent
stores with an annual volume OF
business between $50,0OO and $780,
900; class 3 covers chain stores with
annual volume Of less than $25O,OOO
and class covers chain and ir
dependent stores with annual bust
ness of more than s250,000. Chains
are defined as Arms operating four
or more stores.
Every retail store will be required
to display sign showing the class
into which it falls. Thus, when a
housewife sees a notice identifying
. store as "OPA-i," she will be able
to find quickly the prices which
apply to that kind of store.
Specifically covered, either in
class l stores or as private brands,
were the various brands and sizes of
the following items: Bread, cereals,
eggs, butter, cheese, -four mixes,
honey, macaroni and noodles, proc
essed fish, coffee, syrup, peanut but
ter, cooking and salad oils, poultry,
packaged dried fruit, shortening,
bananas, evaporated and condensed
milk, lard, citrus fruit juices and
sugar.
Canned fruits and vegetables
probably will be placed under speci-
fc ceilings in about a week. The
OPA will establish prices on these
products for all grades of stores,
instead Of only for grade / places.
Route Dealers Exempt.
Route men are exempt from these
ceilings. It was explained that
dealers who sell baked goods, dairy
products, eggs, etc, on established
routes directly from their trucks
normally have higher prices than
even the small independent stores,
and the new ceilings might work
hardship on such dealers.
1t was doubted that the new
prices would have the effect of
actually reducing any existing CELL
ing prices, but they will bring saw
ngs to housewives who trade at
stores where the ,ceelings are now
above the legal n4aximums which
have been in effect since last May
and which were established on the
basis of the highest prices charged
during a certain base period in
March, 1912.
Nationally. the OPA said, the
community ceilings would cut prices
TO some extent in about Is per cent
Of the smaller independent stores.
They will contribute to the roll
back" pledged by Mr. Brown only
TO the extent that they will tend
TO reduce ceiling violations by
making the housewife aware of the
legal prices.
Later. however, general subsidy
program will be introduced to make
1t possible for the OPA to cut prices
without causing hardships for the
food dealers. A $400,oO0,ooo subsidy
program already has been an
nounced to be applied to meats, but
ter and cof1ee-commodities which
were listed by Mr.. Brown as being
aonormally high. These subsidies
will make it possible to cut back
prices on these items general 10
per cent.
Only ajor Items in First List.
Only the major food items were
covered in the first list of prices
announced on a community basis, it
was said, because the OPA wanted
to Introduce the new system to
housewives in as simplified form
as possible Although most other
items will be covered, it was re-
ported, certain foods which are
sold only in very small volume, such
as caviar, may never be controlled.
Little known brands will be added
to the list only when a dealer, pro-
ducer, distributor or other seller
requests that they be included. and
then only when 1t is shown these
brands enjoy a reasonable volume of
sales In a locality.
Under the new system of price
control being inaugurated. problems
arising out Of the new ceiling sche-
dulles will be handled by the price
control panels which are to be set
up as adjuncts to the local ration
Ing boards. According to Mr..
Thompson, these panels will be
appointed beginning this week. and
housewives are being invited to file
complaints OF alleged price viola
ttons with the panels affiliated with
their own boards.
These panels may investigate the
complaints, hold hearings, and make
recommendations to the District Of
nee. Where the facts warrant. such
complaints will be followed up by
appropriate action on the part of
the local OPA enforcement author
ities.
with the new top prices in the
hands Of every housewife" Mr..
Thompson declared, "any store
keeper who tries to make illegal
profits by charging above fair. legal
maximums will brand himself i'm
mediately as black market op-
orator"
Week of Intensive Study.
The ceilings were arrived at here
after a week of intensive study by
the local OPA staff. Wholesalers,
retailers and representatives of the
food industry were interviewed and
co-operated in providing basic fig
ures. The ceilings were set finally
by determining the fair markup
which should be allowed a retailer
above his wholesale cost, after the
wholesaler, too, has been allowed a
fair margin. e.
Generally. this is the method by