Evening star., 1943-04-13
0PA Moves 10 Bring
All Principal Foods
Under Price Control
Maximum Prices Set
On Fresh Tunofish;
Similar Acts Planned
3y the Associated Press.

BY the Associated 1IeSs.
Fixing maximum prices for fresh
tuna, the Office of Price Administra-
ton today took the first definite step
in carrying out President Roosevelt's
order of last week to bring all cost
ef-living foods under price control.
Fresh fish was the principal food
excluded from price control at the
time of the Chief Executives order.
OPA said the tuna order will be
followed by similar action on halibut
and other fresh fish. When the fish
rules are completed, the agency es-
timated SO per cent of all food will
be under price control.
The other 2 per cent, also slated
for early action, includes apples,
sweet potatoes, radishes, cucumbers,
kale, cauliflower, pears, peaches and
plums.
Meanwhile, regional OPA Offices
have been authorized to freeze"
restaurant and other public eating
prices, and action is planned to con-
troll various basic farm prices, in
Guiding livestock, cotton and wheat,
in order to strengthen the existing
price controls on flour, meat and
other processed products.
Further Controls Predicted.
Quick action also was predicted in
official quarters to strengthen the
present, temporary price controls on
lettuce, spinach, carrots, peas, waXed
and green beans, cabbage and to-
matoes.
The tuna order also eXemplified
the Presidents mandate to cut food
costs where possible. The ceiling
rrice of Albacore tuna-most eXpen-
sive of the tunaS-WaS set at $325
ton instead of market prices which
have ranged up to 1898 in the last
year.
Other tuna prices were said to
approximate current levels, and IN
clude: Yellowfin. 5000 ton; bluefln,
$40; striped. $3.50. Prices also were
set on bonito at Sl55 ton and on
yellowtail at Sl45 a ton. Bonlto
and yellowtail were described as
"tuna-like species
Most tuna is canned, and OPA
announced that it will revise price
rules on canned tuna in line with
the fresh tuna ceilings. MaXlmums
also will be announced on tuna
which is sold fresh. The hallbut
and subsequent fish orders will have
more effect, however, on the retail
fresh fish market.
The tuna regulation will be et-
fective April 10, and is expected to
benefit the Government as we'll as
consumers, since the Government
has first call-for military and
lease-lend purposes-on go per cent
on the canned tuna.
Halibut Season to Open.
Meanwhile, the life and love OF
the humble Pacific halibut is pains
takingly explained today by the
Office of the Co-ordinator OF Fish
cries, revealing at the same time
that hundreds of American and Ca
madam fishing vessels will take out
after him when the season opens
Thursday midnight.
Like many a United States citl-
zen, the Pacific halibut (Which Is
really a king-sized founder and
first cousin to the Atlantic H. Is
dominated by his womenfolK, mas
a fondness for herring and gets his
pleasure from little things.
Far below on the ocean floor,
maybe 1000 feet down, life is pretty
6ull-if not downright boring. Moth
ing happens below him, consequently
he turns on his side and shifts MS
ewes so both of them can watch the
comparative hot spots up above.
Males Are Lightweights.
His most important mission is
living long enough to contribute to
the halibut birth rate, a minimum
of Il years. After 5 years OF age
he is within the fair fishing limit
and has to dodge the hook for seven
more years before he is a potential
father. The OCT signs over the
number of fine young fish that have
been yanked out as bachelors.
Even if he avoids the herring
baited hook he can't brag about his
physique to the girls: All the real
big halibut Cup to 400 pounds are
females; he's lucky if he tops 40
pounds.
Yet life is not too bad treading
water In a cool, refreshing Arctic
surrent somewhere out of the
United States, Canada and Alaska
coasts. 1t wasn't so long ago hall
but could roam all over the North
Pacific, but times have changed:
Some of the boys used to gather OH
Japan, but lately the gang has been
avoiding that hangout. What with
the United States submarines they
have to dodge all the time and,
hunks of Jap ships dropping down
on their heads, life around there is
a little too strenuous.