Evening star., 1947-09-17
Prices
Continued From First Page.)

from White Plains, N. Y, yesterday
to meet with the Washington as
ISOLATION directors, suggested, how
ever, that restaurants and house
wives should serve less expensive
meats and more economical food
Buyers Strike Suggested.
A buyers strike" may be neces-
sary to bring down prices, Repre-
sentative Bender, Republican, oi
Ohio said. A congressional inquiry
into food prices in Baltimore was
requested by Senator O'Conor
Democrat, of Maryland in a tele-
gram to Senator Flanders, Repub-
lican, of Vermont, chairman of 8
congressional subcommittee now
holding public hearings in New
England.
TT is time for the buyer to dc
something more than beware Mr.
Bender said. 1T may be necessary
for the housewives of America tt
take the issue into their capable
hands once more with the old
fashioned buyers strike. 1t Is al
too clear that any efforts to hole
the price line through independent
action on the part of retailers will
be utterly unsuccessful"
The Baltimore situation, accord
ing to Senator O'Conor, calls TO,
special attention because congress
sional committee staff studies list.
ed that city as having had the third
highest retail food percentage in
crease of any major American city
in recent years.
Meat Prices Steady.
!. sKetailers reported meat and other
food commodity prices were remain
ing fairly steady" here this week,
as compared with quotations week
ago when the cost of several maj jor
items increased substantially. They
said they still saw no appreciable
falling off in buying af meat.
There has been nasfeal drop in
meat sales since about three weeks
ago. and that decrease was mostly
in the very expensive cuts" an
official of retail store association
reported. Washington people seem
to be buying about as much meat
as they did at this time last week"
A spokesman for a large chain
store organization said slight" in
creases early this week on some
types Of meat, butter and canned
goods wss offset by decreases of a
cent or two in other foods, notably
vegetables.
But there certainly hasn't been
any decline in meat prices ne
added.
Wholesale meat dealers said It
was still too early to determine
The degree of consumer resist
ance to prices or to speculate on the
public response to the Commits
sioners' request yesterday that resi-
dents voluntarily observe two meat
less days each week.
They noted that the Jewish holi-
days this week resulted in the clos
ing of many retail stores and about
95 per cent Of the wholesale markets
in New York City.
Poulty Sales Heavy.
I'VE won't know before the end of
this week whether there has been
any falling off in meat buying )"
Raymond Briggs, chairman of the
wholesale meat division of the
Merchants and Manufacturers As
sociation, said. 80 far as we can
tell from the wholesale angle, there
has been no appreciable falling off
recently"
Poultry sales have increased "only
In this area, Max Bressler,
chairman of the M. e. M. Associa-
ton poultry division, reported. He
explained that sales have been
heavy for some time.
The Commissioners suggestion
for meatless days here was based
on proposal by Mayor ODwyer
of New York that the wartime
practice be revived in public eating
places there. Adoption of the plan.
however, awaited the organization
of committee of representatives
of restaurants, hotels and clubs to
determine the most effective wav
to assure the meatless days in all
eating places.
This committee was to meet with
Mayor ODwyer this afternoon. Al
though the Mayors proposal re-
ceived general commentator, it was
indicated that an alternative plan
might be discussed at the meeting.
This would center on possible
program within the industry to re-
duce the amount of meat on daily
menus.
Object to MeatIess Days.
The only comment by business
men on the meatless day suggestion
came from Mr.. Wilson and from
Mr.. Ebersole at news conference.
Mr.. Wilson issued statement in
which the board of directors de-
clared meatless days would not solve
any meat or food problems.
Meat is not the only food on
which prices have advanced the
board stated, land even if it were
possible to get 100 per cent COM
pliance on such proposal it would
only raise the price of. those foods
which were not in great demand.
The restaurants are just middle
men consumers and have a respon-
sibility to serve the public what 1t
wants at prices they are willing to
pay. Restaurants already are using
less meat because of price. How
ever, meat1ess days would ruin those
places serving meat specialties.
Whether or not certain high priced