Evening star., 1943-05-21
Dealers Complaints
Answered by 0PA; Big
Food Profits Cited
Fruit und Vegetable
Prices to Be Fixed Soon:
Poultry Curbs Ordered

In the face OF a rising tide OF
criticism, particularly over It's
food policies, the ONCE OF Price
Administration rose to its own
defense last night with a state
ment declaring food wholesalers
and retailers "enjoy the most
favorable economic position on
record"
At the same time, it was revealed,
consumers have been promised
definite dollars and -cents ceilings on
the most widely used fruits and veg
etables to be imposed early in June.
The new ceilings, which would re-
place the present hidden" markup
ceilings, were promised by J. K. Gal
brAith, acting OPA administrator, to
. delegation from the New York
City Consumer Council. Spokesmen
for the delegates said later they as
sumed Mr.. Galbraith meant prices
would be set at levels lower than
those now prevailing.
To Fix Poultry Ceilings.
In another move aimed at the
poultry black market" the OPA
today authorized regional price ad-
ministrators to establish uniform
live poultry ceilings. for country
shippers and wholesalers for entire
counties or States.
The present system provides dif-
ferent ceiling price for each COM
munity, depending on the freight
rate to the nearest basing point city.
OPA said black market operators"
claim they cannot get information
an all the railroad freight rates and
attribute their violations OF ceilings
to ignorance.
When regional administrations set
q uniform price throughout polit-
1cal subdivision under the new order
it must not be more than one-tenth
of 4 cent higher than the lowest
price now in effect.
Shipstead AssaiIs "Rollback."
From the floors of Congress the
frontal assault on OPA's policies
continued yesterday with the asser-
ton by Senator Shipstead, Repub-
lican, of Minnesota that Washington
householders were the victims of a
'rollback swindle" when the OPA
established dollar and-cent meat
ceilings.
Senator Shipstead declared that
meat prices actually were rolled
Up" about 20 per cent on May II,
when the new ceilings took effect.
Meanwhile, a bill asking that all
food problems be taken out of the
hands of OPA, the War Food Ad-
ministration and other agencies now
interested in the problem and placed
under the Agriculture Department
was presented to the House by Rep
resentative jenkins of Ohio, chair
man of the Republican Food Study
Committee. Mr.. jenkins said his
bill was the outgrowth of investiga-
tions made by his committee, indi-
eating that the OPA's efforts to
handle food problems have failed.
Business at High Levels.
In defending itself against COM
plants by grocers and others en-
gagged in the business of handling
food. the OPA asserted that the
volume of business done by retailers
and wholesalers, as we'll as profits
before taxes, stand at high levels.
This favorable situation" the
OPA said, lis reflected in the fact
that business failures are currently
at the lowest point in half a CEN
tury."
The agency explained that the
dollar-and-cent ceilings with which
it is rapidly replacing the old in
dividual ceilings on most foods, are
calculated by adding to the present
replacement costs the maximum
markups permitted under OPA reg
ulations.
Retail sales of food last year, the
OPA reported, totaled so, ,9O0,-
000, 600, an increase OF 96 per cent
over the 1899 volume. Sales nov,
1t was said, are running even higher. |