Evening star., 1946-07-18
New Boost Puts
Meat Cost 40%
Over 0PALeveI.
Poultry Prices Sag
As Market GIut
Brings Forced Sales

Meat prices in one large chain
store took another 20 per cent
jump today, bringing the total
average advance of most meat
cuts to about 40 per cent over
old OPA ceilings. Higher whole
sale prices growing out of fever
ish bidding at the Nations live
stock markets were blamed for
the new rise.
At the same time, poultry price
continued to tumble as consumers
turned to meat in increasing mum.
bers.
Associated Press reports from Chi
cago showed decline in prices paid
for hogs and cattle, with early bids
on hogs as much as 81 lower thar
yesterday and first bids on cattle
also down.
The reaction, which began late
yesterday, was attributed to buyer
resistance to high-priced pork at the
retail level and the possibility OF
restoration of OPA controls. Heavy
offerings also were factor. Some
1000 hogs were held over from yes
terdays market in anticipation of
higher price, but were left behind
when the price structure moved te
lower levels, the AP said.
Butter Prices Drop.
Local wholesale butter prices also
continued slight drop begun early
this week, according to Henry Males,
chairman of the butter division Of
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association. The popular grade 100
score) dropped l cent pound and
was quoted at 694 cents a pound
wholesale.
Mr.. Males said that with very little
freezer space in town and plenty of
butter in wholesalers hands. the
trade is going to be forced to move
the butter to retailers at even lower
prices, in order to prevent deteriora.
ton.
Daniel Willard. chairman of the
poultry division of the Merchants
and Manufactures Association, ad-
mitted that the local poultry market
was glutted and that wholesalers
now have to forced sales" in order
to move their product.
Poultry Of IL Cents.
He estimated the wholesale price
of poultry was down II cents pound
from the high of So cents the day
after OPA ended.
Turkey prices likewise have fallen
since the active sellers market fol-
lowing end of price control. Mr..
Willard, operator of a large whole
sale poultry firm. said.
Mr.. Willard observed that if ths
Government Just leaves us alone
everything will work out to the adj
vantage of the consumer"
One chain store today cut its
broiler and fryer prices another 6
| cents q pound, with chickens now
selling for 43 cents a pound. The
high was Sc cents on July S, also a
result Of excessive wholesale prices,
Supply Declared Short.
The chain store increasing its
meat prices for the second time
reported meat supplies were still
short of demand 1t is believed that
many housewives have shifted their
buying from higher-priced inde-
pendent stores to the chain estab-
lishments, where prices have been
held more in check.
Mr.. Willard said poultry produc-
.ers on the Delmarva Peninsula,
largest single chicken producing
area in the East, can not find an
outlet for their poultry as a result
of latest developments. He predicted
that much of the fresh poultry would
find its way into cold storage, where
poultry holdings already are large.
Meanwhile, the Republican Food
Study Committees claim that food
costs for Washington consumers are
less than on June %, the last dsv
|of OPA. came under fire today by
the American Veterans COMMITTEES
Associates, women's auxiliary of the
veterans group.
ave Challenges Figures.
"The cold figures of the report Of
the Food Study Committee. adding
the invisible price Government
subsidy to the June % price list for
Washington, look very imposing on
poper. But they don't look impos-
ing to the GI mother who is paying
3 and cents quart extra for milk
Tor her babies" Miss Kathleen
Nagler, chairman of the associates
declared in statement.
She pointed out that the basis OF
the Republicans argument was that
every consumer paid the subsidy in
the form of an invisible price paid
on food purchased at retail. This
OF course. Is not the case" Miss
Nagler stated.
Thousands of Gold Star families
did not have to pay the subsidy
she claimed, and the same is true OF
the married veteran who receives
$50 month under the GI Bill.
Restaurants Balk at Prices.
Robert j. Wilson, executive Sec
retary of the Washington Res
taurant Association, reported that
many operators were baking at
exorbitant meat prices asked by
jobbers and wholesalers. He said
the association members were being
told to hold up purchases of meat
until prices returned to some SEM
blance of normal.
Mr.. Wilson was hopeful of a break
in wholesale meat prices here soon.
Some experts in the industry predict
a break in three weeks or less, Up