Evening star., 1946-04-11
.Grocers Deny
Rising Violations
of Meat Prices
Institute Survey
Called MisIeodino
By Dealers Here


Large-scale Washington grocers
today took sharp issue with a state
ment made before the Senate Agri-
culture Committee by r. J. Eggart
OF the American Meat Institute that
the number of stores here selling
meat at black market prices had in
creased from 81 to 81 per cent dur
ing the last month.
Although none of the chain store
executives would speak for direct
quotation, they were virtually unan.
imous in saying Mr.. Eggert's testi.
mony was based on false premises.
Mr.. Eggert told the committee his
assertion was based on a survey
made by research agency which
sent out housewives to shop for a
family of four during February and
March. They found, he said, that
housewives now are paying 7 cents
pound, or an average or 19 per
cent above ceilings.
Calls Surveys Misleading.
One executive declared that such
surveys were misleading because
they were based only on stores
which sold meat to the investigators,
whereas the many stores which did
not have in stock the cuts of meat
called for were not considered.
With meat as scarce as it is" he
continued, lit is only natural that
the stores where the investigators
flnd the cuts they want are the
ones most likely to be dealing with
black market suppliers.
For instance, an investigator
may call at 10 stores. At seven
the meat is not available, because
the grocer or butcher is patronizing
only legitimate sources of supply.
1t is likely that the three where
meat is obtainable are the ones
partonizing the black market
The grocery executive pointed out
also that meat may shrink in weight
considerably between the time IL
leaves the store and is weighed
again elsewhere, due to loss of blood
and moisture. This can give rise
10 charges OF false weight, he
added.
Blames OPA Regulations.
OPA regulations, he continued
nave forced about half of the in
dependent packers out of business
and those who remain have gone
black market"
Another grocery executive who
would not be quoted said:
i have made no city-wide sur
Vey, but l am in constant touch
with the retail meat field and I am
convinced that Mr.. Eggert's state
ment is entirely wrong. 1t certainly
does not reflect conditions here"
1T is reasonable to assume" Mr..
Eggert told the committee, that the
sharp increase in over-charges in
washington, on the doorstep of OPA
and subject to constant OPA check
ing, is indicative of a growing black
market on a Nationwide basis"
IL Cities Surveyed.
Similar testimony was presented
before the House Agriculture Com
mlttee recently by another meat in
stitute official, James H. Mccall.
/ Mr.. Eggert said the institute had
surveyed II cities-Providence, New
York City. Newark, N. j.; Washing
ton, Milwaukee, Chicago. Indianap-
obs, Memphis, Houston, Denver and
Los Angeles - in February, then
made a quick resurvey of Wash
! ington.
| DR.. A. R. Miller chief of the Agri-
culture Departments inspection
service, said his Office has no way
of knowing now how much of the
country's total meat production is
being federally inspected. Nor
mally, Federal inspectors pass on
about two thirds of it, he said.
No Inquiry Authorized.
! S. R. Newell, assistant director Of
the departments livestock division,
said it is possible" that Govern
ment graders are grading black mar
ket beef.
IF a man brings in a carcass and
wants it graded" he said, I'VE grade
1t. We are not authorized to in
quire into the circumstances of its
purchase or slaughter"
B. B. Trotter of the Hunter Pack
ing Co, East st. Louis, Mo, said
more than 600 new noninspected
slaughterers, "a large percentage of
them undoubtedly operating in the
black market have entered the St.
Louis area since the end of last
year.