Evening star., 1946-05-24

| OIncldlS SalQ the customary lee
for using the wharf would be waived
for the first three days it is in use
for food shipments.
country has ever met, the city busi-
nessmen and those representing
large consuming groups such as res
taurantS and hotels left the ses-
sion on a note of optimism at the
Districts situation.
The city Commissioners were gen.
orally urged to do everything they
can to avoid boarding and runs
on stocks of essential supplies which,
it was indicated, have already be-
gun.
Joseph c. McGarraghy, president
of the Board of Trade. said a CO.
ordinating committee representing
businessmen and consumers would
be named this afternoon to keep
close touch on the situation.
Frank Perrin, executive assistant
to ODT Director j. Monroe Johnson,
told the group every effort would be
made to move essential stuffS re-
quiring rail transportation and all
types of transportation. Several
reports to the meeting of loaded
box cars in District and nearby rail
yards were referred by the ODT
representatives to the Association
of American Railroads for emer-
gency handling.
Carload of Beef on Way.
A carload of beef destined for
District consumption was reported
at Brunswick, Md, by Thomas T.
Keane, vice president of Southern
Hotel Supply Co.. and Health Officer
George C. Rutland said he had been
informed 168 freight cars were
standing by unloaded in Benning
rail yard.
According to his information, DR.
Ruhland said the cars at Benning
were lined up so close together that
trucks could not get in between
them to unload. He suggested i'm
mediate drafting of necessary
switching engines to move these cars
into unloading positions.
Both Mack L. Langford, division
manager of SafeWay Stores, and
Paul D. herman, president of the
District Grocery Stores, said they
were doing their best to limit guam
titles of essential foods going te
their retail outlets to the normal de.
mand. They said they were en-.
couraging voluntary restrictions or
purchases within these retail outlets
but that as practical matter vol.
untary rationing is impossible.
when We try to limit the quan.
tity," Mr.. herman said, "the Gus.
toner always develops a lot o,
children and additional relative!
for which he says he has to buy
Both agreed that as long as per.
sons could shop from one store tt
another, limitation of sales at thu
retail outlets could not defeat
boarding.
School Cafeterias May Close.
Superintendent of Schools Hobart
Corning said the public schools were
in pretty good condition except fol
a coal shortage at two high schools
Should the food situation take g
turn for the worse, he indicated
school cafeterias might be shut
down and the children directed tc
bring their lunches from home.
L. Gardner Moore, speaking fol
Washington Hotels, sounded thu
general optimistic feeling of the as.
sembly when he told the Commits.
sioners he was taking from the ses.
sion hopeful and optimistic pic
ture of the city situation
This thing can't go very long,
he observed.
. The press and radio were urgec
by all present to get the optimistic
picture over to the public to prevent
the runs and boarding.
Meat, which has been short fol
some time, threatens to disappear
first. A spokesman for Swift g. Co
: said that without new rail ship.
ments his supplies would last only
three or four days. Deliveries to re.
tailers here are usually on a day-to.
, day basis, while some stores receive
: meat only twice a week. In Chicago
George A. Eastwood, president o1
Armour g. Co. said the strike "wil
just about paralyze the meat in.
) dustry."
Joseph B. Danzansky, counsel fol
the wholesale food division of tn,
Merchants g. Manufacturers Asso
citation, also placed meat on th'
worst list here.
Supply Dwindling Fast.
What little there was is fas
dwindling,' he said. 1T is extremel.
short"
Poultry and eggs, however," h.
assured, ARE coming into the cit,
, mostly by truck, with only a small
amount of dressed fowl usual.
/ reaching the city by rail from tn
west" Most of the Capitals suppl,
of poultry and eggs, he said, was be-
, ing trucked in from Delaware ant
, the Shenandoah Valley.
Produce, including potatoes
green vegetables and fruits, is mostl.
carried in here by truck" Mr.. Dan
zansky said, land there is not ter
rife shortage"
, Regarding staple grocery supplies
' he predicted there would be enough