Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-12
New Meat Ceilings Announced
For Next Monday in District
Chain Store Prices to Rise 20
Per Cent; Independent Level Lower

meat counters at loss or have, in
some instances, refrained from
handling certain cuts of meat.
Grades for Every Cut.
When the first set of dollars and
cents ceilings was announced early
in April, chain store officials said
they would increase their prices to
the full limit allowed by the OPA.
Since then, in line with the Presi-
dents hold the line" order against
imitation, the specific ceilings were
trimmed by from l to 3 cents
on cuts of beef, lamb and mutton.
Veal ceilings announced today are
the same as those set up in the orig
inal order.
Prices are set up in the new order
by grades for every cut Of meat.
These grades follow the system used
by the Agriculture Department since
1926. Except for inside cuts, the
grades are supposed to be stamped
on the meat itself.
AS a further precaution against
"up-grading" to skirt the new CELL
ing practices, meat dealers will be
required to post the grades on dis
play in their store and also to seq
regate their cuts by grades in their
showcases. AS a matter of fact, it
was pointed out, retailers are already
required to separate by grades the
| different kinds of meat in their
| stores.
Aid to Customers.
This amendment" OPA said,
affords them an opportunity to
keep check on the separation and to
assist their customers.
THE grades and prices included
IN todays amendment are expected
| to be deterrent to hidden price in
creases, will equalize competitors,
and will aid substantially in enforce
ment Of the price regulation"
The new ceilings will be fixed by
zones, with Washington and nearby
MARYLAND being part of zone g,
north The dividing line between
zone 9, north, and zone 9, south, is
the Potomac River. Thus, Virginia
falls into the lower half of zone 9,
with set of ceilings that differs in
some respects from those that will
be in effect in the District and in
Maryland.
Dollars and-cents ceilings which
went into effect Monday on such
foods as butter, eggs, poultry, bread
and a number of miscellaneous
items, were established on a COM
munity basis, with the result that
most Of nearby Virginia was in
Guided in Washington marketing
Area. The community ceilings area,
however, did not follow county lines,
but took in only parts of Fairfax,
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, along with all of the Dis
trict, Alexandria and Arlington
County.
To Level Standards.
The effect of the new ceilings will
be to level off standards In the
butcher trade, since it will no longer
be advantageous for dealer to offer
special services. Under the sched-
ule that becomes effective Monday,
price diferentials of from only to
cents per pound separate the CELL
ings Of the small independents and
the large independents and chain
stores.
AS matter of fact, to guard
against subterfuges, the OPA has
designated certain standards of cut
ting and trimming which all butch
ers will be required to follow.
According to estimates of the ma
tional OPA, the new meat ceilings
will bring about slight reduction
in meat costs throughout the Ma
ton from February levels, as re-
flected in the Labor Department.
cost-o living index. 1t was further
estimated that the reduction from
prices shown in the March and April
index would be even greater be-
cause OF the fact that black market
operations caused an increase in
prices during these two months.
Differentials Cancelled.
In an effort to bolster effective
ness of the new ceilings, the OPA
ruled yesterday that war procure
ment agencies may no longer pay
more than the legal maximum prices
set for other buyers when purchas-
ing meat.
The price differentials, the OPA
said, create market disturbances. :"
1t added that price control cannot
be effective when adjustments are
made on a class of trade basis"
mo evidence has developed dur
ing the past 10 months" the OPA
said, which shows that the cost
OF doing business with war procure
ment agencies is higher than civilian
| COSTS"
Previously sellers to war procure
ment agencies have been allowed to
charge prices above the ceilings
after notifying OPA and giving the
reasons why such increases were
necessary. If the prices were
deemed too high by the OPA, the
seller was compelled to make ad-
justments with the purchasing