Montana labor news., 1944-04-06
OPAA ADMINISTRATOR
EXPLAINS WHY PORK
MUST BE RATIONED

Removal Of pork from r~ationing, even
for a temporary period, would bring
severe shortages Of butter. beef, lamb
and other basic foods to the East, Far
West and Gulf Coast areas-where a
large proportion of war workers live
Col. Bryan Houston, deputy OPA admin
istrator in charge of rationing, points
out.
"The ration of meat for civilians he
said, has more than kept pace with
the higher meat output and ration
points are-more than ample-for buy
ing pork. The present backing up of
hogs at terminal markets is due mainly
to limited slaughterhouse facilities and
a grave shortage Of manpower," he ex-
planned.
The lifting of pork from ~ratloning
could not help this situation to any ap-
preciable extent, but would have the
following serious Implications:
ID If pork is made point free, the
point value Of the remaining rationed
meats and fats should be increased by
an average of 50 per cent to absorb the
3.5 billion brown stamps which are
available this month for pork. This would
mean, for example, that butter would
have to be increased from 16 to 26
points and hamburger from 6 to 10
points. Cheese would go from 10 to Is
points.
90 If pork could be purchased with
out points, most of it would be bought
up in the mid-western areas where it is
produced. Unless the point value Of beef,
lamb, veal, butter and other brown
stamp foods were raised sharply, most Of
these foods also would be consumed in
the producing areas. This would mean
that the coastal areas-which are farth-
est removed from the production centers
would face a serious shortage of many
essential foods.
90 Within the past few days OPA has
received complaints from both the Pa
cifie and Atlantic coastal regions that
pork is actually becoming scarce. To
further relax the restrictions on pork,
consumption would only make this I'M
favorable condition worse.
The amount of meat available to
civilians under rationing has more than
kept pace with the seasonal increase in
production, Col. Houston said.
Since october, reductions in point
values and the valuation Of special
stamps for pork have increased by 70
per cent the amount of meat the aver
age family can buy.
Surveys have shown that the individual
uses an average of IL of his l6 weekly
m~eats-fats ration points for meats. On
the basis of point values last october,
this allowed the weekly purchase of 1.6
pounds for each person. The January
ration has raised his average to 81
pounds of meat a week, and for the first
two weeks in January the special pork
stamp brings this average to 3.5 pounds
a week.
Few people sincerely believe that the
removal Of pork from rationing would
help farmers market the large crop Of
hogs. AS a matter of fact, nothing would
please the OPA better than to lift pork
from rationing if this were in the public
interest.
Taking pork out from rationing would
be Of some help to the farmer who
slaughters on his farm and sells to
nearby commercial outlets. 1t might also
allow some retailers and small CONNER
cial slaughterers to increase their
slaughter. The amount these slaughter
ers produce is relatively small, however,
normally accounting for between is and
20 per cent Of total pork production.
Since last November, when War Food
Administration restrictions were re-
moved, it should be pointed out, there
has been no limit on the amount Of pork
that a farmer may deliver to persons
living off his farm. The only r%estric-
ton is that ration points must be col
lected, Colonel Houston said.
We would like to do everything we can
to help hog producers and we appreciate
their problems-particularly the farmers
desire to save scarce feed by marketing
hogs now.
However, temporary relief for these
producers would jeopardize the entire
meat rationing system and would throw
us back to the conditions Of a year ago
preceding meat r%ationing.
None Of us, I am sure, ever wants to
see again those days when some sec
tons and some stores had ample sup
plies, while others suffered severe short
ages, and tired housewives were forced
to stand in long lines in the hope Of
getting at least a part Of their share
Of meat, concluded Colonel Houston.
THE AT TVHTCT