Evening star., 1945-04-12
50 More 0PA Agents
Needed 10 Enforce
Law Here, Chief Says
Previous Coils for Men
Refused, Thompson
Tells Critics of Work

Robert K. Thompson, District
Office of Price Administration di-
rector, today declared so more OPA
investigators are needed here IF a
thorough job is to be done" in polio
ing price and rationing regulations.
We've asked repeatedly for more
investigators, but can get nowhere" I"
he said, commenting on congress
Nonal criticism of black market op-
erations here.
His statement came after the
Senate Food Investigating Commit
tee yesterday heard J. Thomas Ken
nedy, District superintendent of
weights and measures, declare about
so per cent of retail outlets here
exceed food ceiling prices. Previ-
ously Senator Wherry, Republican,
of Nebraska had informed the Sen
ate committee that in personal
investigation he had found wide
spread meat and poultry price VIOLA
tions here.
Question of Manpower.
"The question of the effectiveness
of enforcement depends on man
power" Mr.. Thompson said. I'VE
simply do not have enough men to
do the job. I've pointed this out
half a dozen times in practically
sy6y quarterly budget request and
I've frequently called it to the at
tention of the regional Office"
The District OPA director was
backed up by Carl w. Berueffy
chief District OPA enforcement at
torney, who said:
We've never been much for hol-
lering that you can't do job until
you get all the men you need. You
do what yok can, and that's what
we're doing"
Mr. Berueffy previously had re-
vealed that the District OPA Office
has only four investigators avail
able to check on meat rationing and
price violations, and said Senator
Wherrys charges of a black market
here are true.
Only 81 Investigators.
Declaring the OPA cannot afford,
from the standpoint of good en-
forcement," to assign all investiga-
tors to center their activities against
meat and poultry dealers "and let
other persons run hog wild,'' Mr..
Bereuffy said the enforcement di-
vision needs "at least five more at
torneys and six additional stenog-
raphers" to handle the volume of
Investigations and enforcement cases
the division faces.
Mr.. Berueffy pointed out that his
division now has only 81 investiga-
tors, 3 attorneys, including him
self. and 8 stenographers. This
staff, he said, must check on ap-
proximately 1000 grocery stores, l.
600 restaurants, 1900 men apparel
and household furnishings outlets,
500 Women'S specially shops and 500
gasoline stations, plus wholesalers
and some industries.
1--WE should have at the very least
40 investigators to do a minimum
job" he said, and added some cases
have been delayed because the
amount of work has begged down
stenographers who type the legal
papers.
204 Cases in March.
During March, Mr.. Berueffy said,
Investigations were completed on 204
cases of alleged violations referred
to the legal division for action. The
three attorneys, Mr.. Berueffy, Lloyd
Williamson and j. Grahame Walker,
instituted 60 formal sanctions, in
cluding criminal cases, suspension
orders, treble-damage suits and in
junction suits.
Amplifying his earlier comments
on the assignment of investigators,
Mr.. Berueffy explained that eight
investigators are assigned to the
food unit, and that half of their
time is devoted to investigation of
meat violations, six to consumers
durable goods and fuel, three to ap-
parel and industrial materials, one
to services, such as shoe repairers
and laundrieS, and three to admin
istrative work in connection with
enforcement.
Sixty-f1ve per cent of the time of
the investigators has to be devoted
to investigation of wholesale viola
tions, he said
Under the legal setup, Mr.. Will
hanson is responsible for cases de-
veloped by the food unit and Mr..
Walker for consumers goods and
fuel cases.
Owing to the small size of the le-
gal staff, Mr.. Berueffy said, Mr..
Walker also has had to handle cases
developed by the services unit. Mr..
Berueffy has taken over apparel and
industrial materials cases and
helped out on consumers durable
goods cases.