Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-13

turn to price controls and ration
ing" New York's Mayor William
O'Dwyer named committee to in
vestigate price rises relating to the
school lunch program, care of city
hospital patients and relief recipi-
entS.
Buyers Strike Threatened.
In Buffalo. N. Y, President Wal
ter P. Reuther of the CLOS United
Auto Workers Union said he will try
to promote a national buyers strike
ito see if we can smash the prof.
teers," the Associated Press reported.
We've got to fight to restore price
control" Mr.. Reuther declared last
night at a mass meeting sponsored
by Western New York JAW locals.
I'm going to see if I can't interest
other labor groups in forming ma
tional consumers co-ordinating COM
mittee to put into operation Ma
tionwide buyers strike to see If we
can smash the profiteers.
The labor leader, here for meet
ing of the unions International
Executive Board, told the board
earlier that all JAW members should
participate in hearings to be held in
q cities by subcommittee of the
Joint Congressional Committee on
the economic report.
Testimony of consumers, espe-
cially housewives, on the effect of
high prices on family expenditures
and savings should be presented at
these subcommittee hearings" Mr..
Reuther said. Testimony on spe-
cific instances of prof1teering or any
action taken by manufacturers or
trade groups to force higher prices,
or prevent price reductions, is also
pertinent"
Even Higher Prices Predicted.
Federal Judge John P. Barnes In
Chicago earlier this week authorized
the impaneling of a special grand
jury for cost of living investiga-
ton, but Melville Williams. special
assistant to the Attorney General in
charge of the probe, said "the
Government is issuing no informa-
ton at this time"
| The spokesman for the American
Meat Institute, which represents
more than $50 members, said "tfe
meat packing industry has no
secrets nor anything to hide from
the public" He said he did not
know how many subpoenas had
been served on packing company
officials.
when more people make more
money than ever before, they want
more meat and mostly the better
grades and cuts !" ." the spokes-
man said. .....<
Most discouraging from the con-
sumer's standpoint was report by
the national research staff of the A.
& P. chain which ended with
prediction that almost all foodstuffs
will show even higher prices within
week or so.
Specifically, the A. & p. said it
looks for increases of from to 10
per cent on canned meats and fish,
10 to Is per cent on wheat products
such as -four, cereals, macaroni, cake
mixes, etc., to 10 per cent on cheese
spreads, jam, jellies, peanut butter
(partialy due to their use as but
ter substituted, per cent on baked
goods and continuing rises in eggs
so they will bring 81 to $1.05 dozen
even in chain stores in the next few
days. A Washington wholesaler had
predicted dollar-a-dozen eggs several
days ago, in a statement to The Star.
Short Crops q Factor.
Short crops, especially in corn,
speculation on the wholesale markets
and colossal consumer appetites all
were being blamed for the price
spiral.
Corn was quoted at $2.57 bushel
this week against $1.S1 year ago,
and wheat at $2.75 against $1.92. The
Agriculture Departments index of
prices for food animals stood at 315
on August /, up from 123 year ago.
The index is based on 1909-14
level. In turn, packers are paying
as much as IS cents pound for
choice steers on the hoof. About SIS
per cent of the steer reaches the re-
tailers in meat.
Meat consumption is expected to
be 155 pounds per capita this year
compared to the 1874 average of
1874 pounds. Eggs are being con-
sumed at a rate of 400 year per
person-the nutritional dream is an
egg day a person-whereas the
prewar consumption was 800.
In Chicago commodity exchange
officials were enforcing new regu-
lations requiring higher margins for
speculative transactions, but the big
money to be made was so tempting
that prices kept moving the full
daily limit allowed under current
regulations. On yesterdays mar
kets some prices were falling as
spectators tried to gauge the flu
futures market, but there was little
evidence the declines were going to
be anything more than temporary.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported another rise in its whole
sale price index for the week ended