Evening star., 1943-06-09
RoIlbuck
Continued From First Page J

Strengthened out and the black mar
ket will vanish" Mr.. Ploeser point
ed out that the meat professors
have been squeezed" on an average
of from SO to $40 on a carcass of
beef.
A witness before the committee
admitted that black markets in
poultry were so extensive that it
was impossible to buy chickens to-
day at the legal price ceiling. Rob-
ert F. Lewis of Cambridge, Mass,
a wholesaler IN butter, eggs and
poultry, said that the black markets
have been caused by OPA's insult
flcient markups. Mr.. Lewis said
there are enough loop holes" in the
regulations governing egg prices
so that a black market operator
could not be caught "and the mar
ket wouldn't be black"
THE wizards in OPA," Mr.. Lewis
said, have been able to predict egg
prices for So weeks. Those of us in
business have never been able to
predict production and demand to
enable us to tell the prices for any
time ahead"
Defiance on Placards.
Defiance of OPA's regulation re-
quiring retail grocery stores to post
signs showing into which classif-
cation they fall under the new COM
munity ceilings was indicated at
the hearing by Joseph Stevens, Sec
retary of the Individual Retail Gro
GERS Association, st. Louis, Mo. Mr..
Stevens said the grocers in his part
Of the country won't put up plac-
ards under any circumstances"
But, if it's a law, what will you
do?" Chairman Patman inquired.
Well" the witness replied, "OPA
is violating some of your laws. If
we go to jail, then some of the peo-
pie in OPA should go to Jail, too."
Mr.. Stevens said he was anxious
to return to st. Louis because a
mass meeting is to be held there in
a few days, at which time I'VE will
tell the merchants just what we
think of OPA."
Help Returning Vets.
During discussion of the number
Of small businesses which are being
forced to close because of current
conditions. Chairman Patman said
he believed the Government ought
to provide some aid for the men
returning from the armed services
after the war. Mr.. Fatman proposed
that this financial assistance be
given through the banks or the
Reconstruction Finance Corp. to help
set the young war veterans up in
business.
Mr.. Ploeser referred to such forms
OF Government subsidization as fol-
lowing "the Hitlerian theory, and
whenever that happens free enter
prise is gone"
IF you destroy small business"
Mr.. Ploeser said, the Government
could take over big business in a
week."
Tom Randle, president of the Ala
bama Association of Retailers. Biz
mingham, Ala, told the committee
the only effective way to check the
rise in prices is to control them at
the source. With no ceilings on
raw materials or labor, MIR. Randle
said, it is impossible to hold down
prices.
Comedies Congress at Fault.
Chairman Patman conceded that
Congress was at fault in allowing
divided authority over food to spring
up between OPA and the Depart
ment of Agriculture.
william A. Nielander, assistant
director of food rationing at OPA
attended the session today as an
observer. Mr.. Patman said a tran
script of the testimony taken by
the committee during the past three
days would be turned over to the
OPA and that officials of the agency
would be invited to testify if they
desired.
Congressional opposition to farm
subsidy payments spread from COM
mittee rooms to the Senate floor to-
day as Senator Byrd, Democrat, Of
Virginia predicted they will cost the
Nation 5000, ,000, 900 year and re-
suit "in a complete regimentation Of
farmers and professors"
He said that failure Of the admin