Evening star., 1943-12-01
Canned Goods,
Meat Points
.Sharp|yCut
Values for Cheese
And Fish Rise in
December, However
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

cent more meat and additional
canned goods but no more butter
and considerably less cheese and
canned fish as the result of point
changes in the food rationing
program for December, an
nounced today by the Office of
Price Administration. The new
point values will be effective
Sunday.
December point values for canned
foods showed the greatest number
Of point reductions made at one
time since rationing began. Grape
fruit juice and other citrus juices
will be sold ration free.
Altogether total of Is items on
the canned goods list were reduced
in value from ! to 10 points.
Among the items that will cost
the housewife fewer points are green
and wax beans, soybeans, all varie
ties of canned dry beans, including
pork and beans, carrots, spinach and
a number of other canned and
frozen fruits and vegetables.
All beef was cut sharply in ra-
ton value. Most items, including
the popular cuts, were reduced 8
points and the remainder 2 points a
pound. Butter remains unchanged
at 16 points and margarine at G
points a pound.
Ration value OF lard, only item
on the fat and oil list to be changed
was cut ! point.
All cheeses were raised Q or 3
points. American cheddar was
raised points to 10 a pound, while
cream cheese is boosted points to
8 points pound. Such types as
Swiss, Munster and brie will cost
points, up 2 from the November
table.
Canned fish, with the exception of
cooked oysters, was raised four
points to total of is a pound.
oysters were dropped a point to two
pound. Canned raw oysters are
not rationed.
Some Pork Values Raised.
OPA raised the ration cost of some
pork cuts from current values which
reflect the November across
the-board cost of two points pound.
All pork cuts, however, are still
much lower than the early Novem-
Der values. In addition, all types Of
pork fat were included among the
items which will cost fewer points.
Two Veal Cuts Reduced.
Two important veal cuts-round
steak and leg roast-were reduced
two and one points a pound, re-
spectively. Lamb and mutton values,
reduced in November, were not
changed.
OPA said the average point value
of all rationed meat will be slightly
less than five q pound on the De-
cember table, the lowest since
rationing began last spring, and
compared with the current average
of six and third points a pound
1t was estimated that retail stores
will have approximately 100000, 900
pounds of meat for sale to civilians
during December, as compared with
a total of approximately a billion
pounds originally estimated for No.
vember.
In announcing new point values
Price Administrator Chester Bowles
emphasized that the reduction is
temporary and may not be extended
beyond December. He said the cuts
were made because the War Food
Administration reported that civilian
meat supplies were larger than at
any time in recent months. Whether
the lower ration values will be con-
tinued depends on new estimates OF
supply, which VIA will make. Mr.
BoWles announced on his radio pro-
gram last night that the ration
value of beef would be reduced.
Some Have Spring Values.
A large number of beef cuts are
listed on the December table at the
relatively low point values of last
spring. Po,tc1house steak, for ex-
ample, will cost 9 points a pound
as compared with II at present;
top round, 10 points as against 13;
l0-inch rib roast, 6 as compared
with 9, and hamburger, 6 points, g
reduction of l.
While veal, lamb and mutton are
expected to continue in fairly good
supply this month, point value OF
those meats was cut substantially
for November and few decreases
were made for this month.
officials said that some of the
pork cuts were raised for December
because the supply was insufficient
to warrant continuation of the
two-point reduction. All hams ano
most bacon cuts were increased one
(See MEAT, Page A-18)