Evening star., 1946-07-09
Ceilings
Continued From First Page.)

several similar projects planned for
other cities, Mr.. Nathan said.
Its formal opening this afternoon
conceded with local reports that the
meat supply, though on the move to
Washington markets. is far from
enough to go around and that some
retailers and restaurants are refuS-
ing to buy meat which in some in
stances have increased from 20 to
80 per cent over previous ceilings.
representatives of several large re-
tail markets said their meat supplies
proportion to arrivals reported by
several wholesale and supply houses.
They look for a better retail meat
supply picture by the end of this
week.
Wide Publicity Planned.
Mr.. Nathan and Mrs. Beatrice
Perry, who will be in charge of the
clearing house and direct activities
of newly former group of approx
imately 1900 AVS supporters, eX-
planned that they will rely on pub
licity to correct price abuses and
to Impress upon Congress the need
for enacting adequate price control
legislation"
What we are really trying to do, -
Mr.. Nathan said, is to protect the
fair and honest dealers by showing
up dealers who jump prices far over
ceilings. We plan to study price
trends and try to determine to what
extent a retailer may have been
forced to raise his price because of
wholesale price rises. But We be-
lieve this clearing house system will
be most helpful in disclosing the
fellow who, for instance. jumps a
price something like 25 cents while
others in the same business stick to
ceilings or raise prices only or 3
cents
To Rely on Reports.
The AVG clearing house will not
send out price patrols" of its own
to check prices. Mrs Perry said,
however, that it will have a strong
nucleus in the AVG Associates con-
sisting of those who will report
whatever out-of-line prices they
find in stores. The patrols will
be made up informally of the gen.
eral public and the everyday shop
pers who are in the best position
to detect fragrant price increases,
she said.
Meanwhile, several large retail
meat dealers reported today that
their meat supplies have not in
creased greatly despite indications
the wholesalers and supply houses
have received greater quantities of
meat this week They look for an
improved retail meat supply picture
by the end of the week
Three of the largest local branch
packing houses-Armour, Cudahy
and SWift-have received no appre-
ciable increase in meat thus far this
week, they reported.
A spokesman for the Columbia
Hotel Supply Co.. noted that arrivals
not only are better than last week,
but that they contain a general as
sortment. The supply. however, is
below normal and the prices are
"a little higher, but as a rule only
enough to take care of the previous
subsidy" he said
Complaints More Pronounced.
Complaints against higher whole
sale prices were more pronounced
today in some quarters. Representa-
tiveS for a wholesale meat dealers
association clung to earlier produc-
tions that prices will taper off when
the supply is substantially greater
by the end of this week or next.
Joseph Danzansky, counsel for the
meat division of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association, said he
believed prices in some categories
would be about 30 per cent higher,
but that supply soon would meet
demand.
Evidence of some sales resist
ance or a watchful waiting policy
was seen in the comment by an of
f1clal of one of the large branch
packing houses here that it's COM
pany regards prices as still too far
above ceilings and subsidies and
that this accounts for lack of ship
ments to the plant here.
Directors of the Virginia Hotel
Association, meeting at Orange.
urged members to hold down meal