Evening star., 1946-08-11
81 Witnesses Called
For DecontroI Hearing
Opening Tomorrow
Grain and Meat Groups
To Cite Bumper Crops
In Opposing Ceilings
BY MoIcoIm Lomborne, Jr.

Extensive hearings on the big
question of restoring price con-
trolls over meat, dairy products
and other foods, comprising
about 60 per cent of the Ameri-
can diet, get under way tomor-
row before the Price Decontrol
Board. They will continue
through Thursday.
In speedy succession, 81 spokes-
men for industry, farm. labor and
consumer groups will present their
views on whether the major foods,
along with grain, cottonseed and
soybeans, should be ordered back
to June 80 ceilings on August 81.
| Advance briefs filed with the
three-man board afforded a pre-
view of what is to come during the
next four days in hearings sched-
uled in the Senate Office Building.
Warn of Black Markets.
Large grain and meat interests
were claiming that prospects of
bumper crops this fall would serve
better than any OPA price lid in
keeping prices in line.
The meat industry renewed it's
warning of a return to black mar
kets should controls be resumed on
/ livestock.
! The board announced last night
its schedule of witnesses to be heard
tomorrow and Tuesday. The total
for the two days is 43. Tomorrow's
session will be devoted to grain
and Tuesdays hearing to livestock.
Edward A. O'Neal, president of
the American Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton will lead off the parade of
witnesses and is expected to take
the stand that all commodities now
decontrolled should continue free
Along with spokesmen for the CIO
and AFL. Mr.. O'Neal will be allowed
30 minutes on the crowded schedule
Time Allotments Brief.
Most groups, however, have been
allotted only 10 or Is minutes.
Roy l.. Thompson, chairman of
the board, said it had been possible
to arrange time for oral arguments
in the fours days to all 80 appli-
cantS. In some cases, industry and
consumer groups agreed to let one
spokesman represent several Or
CARNATIONS.
Also scheduled to testify tomorrow
are the Millers' National Fedora =
ton, American Feed Manufacturers
Association, American Veterans
Committee, Food for Freedom, Rail-
way Labor Executives Association
and the American Association OF
University Women.
Single exception to the request OF
most industries for an uncontrolled
market was an advance brief of the
Linseed Crushers Industry Advisory
Committee, which stated that flax
! seed supplies for linseed and other
products) are SO short that the in
dustry cannot recommend decon-
troll at this time"
Pleads for Consumer.
From the National Council oi
Jewish Women the board received
an appeal to keep the consumer in
mind and to restore ceilings wher
rising prices threaten the already
precarious position of the average
consumer budget"
Wilson & Co. one of the Nation
big packers, stated that the live
stock and meat outlook is favorable
for continued large production dur
ing the rest of this year and in l947
providing meat remains decon
trolled.
Sitting with Mr.. Thompson are
, Daniel w. Bell, president of the
American Security e. Trust Co. here
and George H. Mead. Dayton, Ohio
head of paper and pulp company
Wednesday the board takes UP
!, cottonseed and soybeans, and on
Thursday milk and dairy products