Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-17
0PALets Butter
Go Up II Cents
And Cheese 6
Canned Milk Also
Rises; Other Steps to
Spur Production
BY the Associated Press

OPA today ordered retail price
increases of II cents a pound fol
butter and six cents a pound fol
cheddar cheese.
The agency also raised manufac-
turers' prices, effective immediate
ly. The retail increases go into ef-
feet upon each retailers first pur-
chase from his supplier at the high
er prices.
These price boosts, authorized
earlier by Sterilization Director
Chester Bowles, followed an asser-
ton by top Government economist
that living costs are climbing at an
alarming" rate.
OPA also announced a retail in
crease of cent for a 141z ounce
can of evaporated milk.
Will Cost $250,00O,000 a Year.
In carrying out other instructions
OF Mr.. Bowles, designed to increase
butter production, OPA also took
these actions, effective Immediately
l. Established for the first time
price ceilings on milk bought from
milk producers by dairy products
manufacturers and by industrial and
commercial users.
2. Brought under price control for
the first time all bulk sales of COM
mercially-separated cream and sales
of farm-separated cream sold by
any seller other than farmer.
Sales by cream station to a butter
manufacturer are exempt.
Higher prices for butter and
cheese follow by 10 days an OPA
order raising the cost of milk a
penny a quart. Mr.. Bowles has
estimated that these dairy product
price increases will, cost housewives
at least s25o,000,0OO a year.
Higher Grain Costs Cited.
He said the increases were
prompted by higher grain costs and
apparent congressional determi-
nation to slash food subsidies"
Increases in manufacturers CELL
tngs announced today amount to 10
cents a pound for butter, S cents
for cheese and IS cents a case for
evaporated milk.
Along with these price increases,
OPA plans to boost the cost of soft
coal by about 40 cents ton this
week. This will result from higher
wages granted to John L. Lewis
United Mine Workers, as will an i'm
pending increase of perhaps 81 a
ton for anthracite coal.
The price of sugar also is sched-
uled to go up fifth of a cent a
pound shortly, possibly this week, to
offset a pay raise for refinery
workers.
Housewives also will pay 21a per
cent more for cooking utensils made
of sheet aluminium. The higher price
is effective Immediately on new
shipments by manufacturers.
So Price Increases.
The accelerated pace of price in
creases during the last few weeks
there have been SO since June 8
prompted the comment by a top
Government economist that the
cost of living climb is alarming.
The economist, who refused use of
his name, said that lately prices
have been moving up at the rate of
about l per cent a month, and
that this lis something to worry
about"
That's II per cent or better a
year." he added, las compared with
rise of to per cent over
the last three years"
Mr.. Bowles and OPA Admins
traitor Paul Porter have pointed to
the latter increase as evidence that
prices are well in hand. Both have
acknowledged that the increase pace
has quickened recently, but they
have asserted that many of the
reasons for this no longer exist.
The transition from war to peace
made more price hikes inevitable.
Mr.. Bowles has stated. He also has
said that, given effective" price
control legislation, OPA probably
can hold the value of the dollar at
l.