Evening star., 1947-06-29
BY the Associated Press

| BY the Associated Press
CHICAGO, June 28-A year after
OPA encountered sudden death
amid an uproar of accusations and
defenses, the American people to-
day find prices higher and goods
more plentiful.
| That is the conclusion drawn
from an Associated Press survey Of
what has hapuened since the Gov
ernment price-dxing agency expired
June 80, 1916, after President Tru-
man vetoed as inadequate a con-
gressional bill extending the agency S
life
Subsequently the OPA was re-
vived, but it stalked the land only
as a ghost of its former robust self.
It was inferred by degrees as ceilings
were removed from one commodity
after another, and final burial came
in December when its remaining
powers were transferred to other
agencies.
Nation Sums Up Results.
Looking at the results, the Ma
ton found today:
/. Prices are very much higher
than former OPA ceilings, and there
has been only a modest decline since
the peak was reached in March this
year. Some commoditiessseem des-
tined to rise even higher.
2. More goods are available, elimi-
mating the block-long nylon stock
ing line, the under-the-counter deals
for hard-to-get items and the eX-
traordinary popularity of butchers
with any one who wanted hunk of
beef.
3. Stocks of some food items have
been built up, but for the most part
cold storage holdings remain very
low. This is particularly true Of
meat and eggs, in both of which
the country is living on a hand-to-
mouth basis.
Paul Porter, last of the OPA ad-
ministrators, would not comment
on the agency today, stating, Let's
let that gallant wartime agency
rest in peace"
Porter Urges Program.
Mr.. Porter, now practicing law in
Washington, added, There is need
for a program in which the Gov
eminent will organize its own buy
ing in such a way as to minimize
speculative commodity price in
creases while at the same time ful-
filling our obligations abroad.
Consumer credit controls should
be tightened, not abandoned. A
mechanism for the exposure OF pro-
f1teering should be considered by
Congress, and renewed campaign
for antitrust enforcement should be
undertaken"
In Chicago Mr.. Porter's old-time
adversary in the publicity release
field, the American Meat Institute,
said, "the difference between the
meat situation a year ago and today
is the difference between no meat
at mythical controlled prices and
meat available anywhere at prices
NY
Indices Measure Increase.
Measuring the price increase are
the various Government and private
indiceS. The Associated Press daily
wholesale price index of IS basic
closed Friday at 1854,
up 436 per cent from the 1929
figure of June 30, 1916. The peak
was 1892 in March.
The cost-of living index of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics on May
Is, released this week, was 1853.
Last June it was 1898. Since June
fats and oils have risen 58.6 per cent,
meat 522 per cent, beverages sos
per cent and sugar -and sweets 31.6
per cent.
Trade groups criticize the various
indices as unrealistic because they
say, the indices compute prices dur
ing the OPA period on the basis of
ceilings when real prices in black
markets" were above ceilings.
Because whenever illegal prices
were paid they were not recorded,
there is no way of telling how pres
ent prices compared with BLACK
market" prices. However, prices of
some commodities which were not
controlled a year ago are higher
nov.
Meat Core of Battle.
Meat was the core of the OPA
battle a year ago. The word, but
not the taste was on everybodys
tongue. In New York, hamburger
which was 80 cents a pound. when
available. year ago is now At cents
Loin of pork which sold at At cents
now brings 62 cents.
Meat producers are receiving
much higher prices in established
markets. At Chicago hogs which
had a ceiling of S14.85 year ago
are today bringing as high as S25.25
hundred pounds. Cattle which
had ceiling of S17.65 a hundred
pounds at Kansas City are costing
$I8 to 1929 for medium grades.
Down in Fort Worth, Texas, lead
ing sheep market, top price on
lambs today is s23 against s14.50
last June. There were no ceilings
on lambs, but prices today are IS
to $3.50 a hundred pounds higher
than last June.
Butter Brings 66A Cents,
In the Chicago wholesale market
butter which sold at 5612 cents a
pound a year ago today brings 66h
cents. But there was a Government
subsidy equivalent to Is cents a
pound, paid to producers out Of
taxes, on butter last year. Eggs