Evening star., 1943-05-30
Some D. c. Grocers Obey OPA;
Others Make Their Own Rules
Survey by Star Reporters DiscIoses
Price Violations in Smaller Stores

CSIllS.
Didn't Have New Ceilings.
At store No. 4, most of the brands
listed by the OPA again were not on
the shelves. Those that were seemed
to conform to the ceilings.
At store No. 5. Northwest, a bottle
of syrup was purchased for % cents.
1t should have been 18 cents. Over
charge, cents The elderly lady
who was behind the counter still
had rough chart of old individual
ceiling prices posted. She didn't
know about the new ones.
At Store No g. Northeast, a pack
age Of prunes cost 20 cents. the right
price, and package of pancake
flour cost IA cents, cent above the
ceiling.
At Store No. 7. Northeast. rela-
lively few items were on the shelves.
many of them unfamiliar The
prices, On those which could be
checked, were at ceiling levels.
At Store No. 8, the reporters
bought bottle of sirup for 81 cents.
cents above the ceiling, and a can
Of condensed milk for Is cents, 3
cents higher than the legal maxi
mum. Overcharge: 6 cents.
At Store No. 9. Southeast, a pack
age of raisins was bought for IL
cents The brand was not among
the OPA's ceilings. but the price was
way out of line with the ceilings
for that size package
Ceiling Not Posted.
Al store No. 10. Southeast. prices
Were clearly marked, but the new
ceilings were not posted. The prices
appeared to be in line with the
ceilings.
At store No. II, Southeast, prices
were also consistent with ceilings.
Store No. IL. Southeast, was the
only store where prices were posted.
The proprietor had clipped the CELL
ings from the newspapers as they
appeared and pinned them up in
his store. He said he was doing his
best to remark his merchandise,
where 1t needed re-marking. to
bring it in line with the OPA's
AAAe'<A4'Aioiii JiiSSS, OllC llC SCQIQll Y
be sure he hadn't missed some. Any
way, he said, housewives could check
the list if they weren't sure, and if
ne was charging them too much
they could point it out to him. He
was getting pretty discouraged about
the whole business, and he said it
wouldn't take much inducement to
get him to give up the store.
At store No. l3, Southwest. the
reporters bought a can of condensed
milk for IL cents although it was
plainly marked II cents. This con-
vinced the reporters that they were
beginning to look a little bit like
OPA investigators and were making
people suspicious, so they went
home.
Coupon System Tested.
During the course of the expe-
dltlon, one store in Maryland had
been visited, not so much to de-
termine ceiling violations as to test
the coupon system. A party of two
persons bought meat and butter
that should have cost % red points.
and receipt for % points was given.
But only l6 we're actually removed
from the book. Canned goods that
totaled nearly months blue stamps
1or one person we're also purchased
without surrendering points when
he customer said she had forgotten
he ration book in which she still
had valid blue stamps.
Besides the community ceilings.
the housewife is supposed to check
ceilings on several hundred different
cuts Of pork. beef, veal, lamb and
mutton when she goes to her
butcher shop. Policing the prices,
the OPA said. is largely her Job.
But trying to check them as she
shops is like trying to read logarithm
tables in swaying street car.
Some day, the OPA has promised,
all the prices which a housewife
needs to know will be compiled
neatly into little book. When that
is done, she can slip the book into
her purse and. if she and her grocer
have the dogged patience required.
she can page through her book
while the grocer rings up his prices
at the counter