Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-10
Food Ceilings
Go in Effect
Here Today
Small Store Owners
See Few Changes
In Existing Prices
BY NORMAN A. KAHL.


retically went into effect today in
the District and nearby communi-
ties on more than 275 different
brands of food products, but few
grocery stores and butcher shops
have had a chance to post and op-
crate under the new maximum
prices, it appeared from a survey.
Proprietors of small stores, for the
most part. said the new prices would
make few changes in existing cell
ings. In some instances, they ex-
planned, their ceilings were lowered
by the prices published in yester-
days Star. but these reductions
were fairly well balanced against
increases in other categories.
The new community ceilings
establish top prices for stores with
less than $4,000 annual business and
for certain kinds of private brands
In no case, however. may any store
sell the products listed for more
than the prices which appeared yes
terday, and in some instances the
legal ceilings for these products may
be lower than those listed.
Little Concern Shown.
One or two Of the stores surveyed
said their prices would be a little
lower. but not enough to cause them
any concern.
Il agree with the OPA.' one of
the proprietors said. Whatever
they do is all right with me-
Another store owner agreed with
this, but said he believed the OPA
should have established dollars and
cents ceilings year ago. when foods
were first put under individual CELL
ings.
They could really have held
prices down them he said. Its a
little late now"
Some proprietors said they could
not very well place the new prices
into effect until they had received
official notice from the OPA along
with price lists to be posted. Such
lists, the District OPA said today
were being distributed and should be
in the hands of retailers within a
few days.
Some Owners Confused
Many of the proprietors had not
yet studied the new ceiling lists
Some were doing so this morning
and were not yet able to tell whether
their present prices would be gen.
orally affected. Some were confused
by the fact that brands which they
carry were not included on the list.
Whenever this occurs, they we're
told, the old individual ceiling prices
still apply.
One grocer, who said some of his
prices would have to be lowered,
wanted to know whether wholesale
prices would be similarly adjusted or
whether he would have to absorb the
entire loss. No provisions have been
made for setting dollar and cents
wholesale ceilings, but these are de-
termined by percentage markups,
which were also the basis for setting
the new community retail prices.
One unexpected outgrowth of the
announcement on new ceiling prices
occurred when a baking company
called this morning and demanded
to know why seven different varieties
or sizes of bread were listed for this
particular company.
Only Make Three Kinds,
I'VE are allowed to make only
three kinds" the bakery spokesman
said" and that's all we make. But
today the Agriculture Department
called us and wanted to know how
we happen to have seven listed" It
was explained that the list was pre-
pared by the OPA and the bakery
official was referred to local OPA
officials for explanation.
The OPA list also failed to mention
Chase q Sanborn Coffee, the ceiling
lor which was announced TODAY as
50 cents for one pound. OPA officials
were gong over the lists again TODAY
10 check for any other commissions
or inaccuracies. The price ceilings
were prepared hurriedly last week
on ORDERS from the regional Office
ana ofnclals here worked until mid
nlght almost every night in an effort
TO work out the prices before their
release Sunday.
From time to time. new lists of
prices will be issued under virtno H.. ~.
every food product is placed under a
community ceiling price. The COM
piete list will include probably l OOo
ol1erent sizes and varieties of the
products sold in retail stores in this
area.
The community ceilings, which
went into effect in about $50 COM
munltles throughout the country to-
Gay, are expected to be a potent
weapon against black market oper-
atoms. 1nasmuch as every housewife
Will now know the maximum price
she Is to be charged for almost every
commodity.
eventually, Mr.. Brown has prom
lsed, booklets containing all ceiling
prices on foods will be issued for the
convenience of the housewife. Mean
while, consumers are urged to clip
from the newspapers the lists of
ceilings as they appear and to refer
to them when they go shopping.
The prices will be set down &C
ccrding to the classification of the
store, and each store will be required
to post a sign indicating into what
class it falls.
The ceilings here affect all of the
District, Alexandria and Arlington
county and parts of Fairfax, Prince
Georges and Montgomery Counties.