Evening star., 1947-02-05
GSI Cafeteria
Prices AssaiIed
AT Hearing
Witness Describes
Difference in Cost
OF Same Lunch

Patrons Of Federal cafeterias OPP
Grated by Government Services, Inc,
today complained to q special SEN
ate subcommittee about the prices,
portions and service of the food in
the eating places.
The witnesses were members of
the AFL American Federation Of
Government Employees and the CIO
United Public Workers.
One witness, Miss Marion Maring,
an Agriculture Department employe,
told the committee that the cafe
terra at Agriculture, which is op-
Grated by the National Food Corp,
serves bigger food portions at more
reasonable prices than the meals
served at the So cafeterias operated
by GSI.
Differences Cited. O
my work takes me to various
Government buildings around town
and I frequently eat in GSI cafe,
terias," Miss Maring said. "I found
that lunch which costs As cents at
Agriculture costs 81 cents at GSI
cafeterias. In addition, they serve
better food and bigger portions at
the Agriculture cafeteria.
The committee was presented with
petition signed by 900 Labor De-
partment employees which called for
a thorough investigation of GSI
with view to placing the opera
ton of Government cafeterias In
the hands of private concession
aires or on a cooperative basis.
Roy Patterson, chairman of the
UPW Labor Department unit, said
the employees there we're dissatisfied
with the prices and portions of food.
Dissatisfaction Charged.
More and more people are bring
ing sandwiches to work because they
can't afford the prices" Mr.. Patter-
son declared.
Daniel Schwartz, Washington re-
gional director of UPW, presented
the committee with the results of a
QUESTIONABLE among Federal en-
ployes regarding GSI operation. Mr..
Schwartz said that 5000 question
naires were passed out and that 317
persons mailed answers to the union.
"The overwhelming majority of
replies expressed dissatisfaction with
GSI cafeteria service and favored
taking the operations Of the cafe
terra away from the nonprofit or
ganization," he said.
Agree Food Is Good.
Senator Baldwin, Republican, of
Connecticut announced GSI would
have an opportunity to reply to the
testimony. The witnesses seemed
agreed that the quality of the food
was good, criticizing Only the prices,
portions and service.
A number of wholesale grocery,
fruit and vegetables, meat and milk
dealers, from whom GSI buys its
food, testified that the firm bought
only the highest grade products.
Frank w. Hoover, general man
ager of GSI, said he would call
patrons to show that the prices and
the portions are not, out of line.
Henry G.. jenkins, Health Depart
ment supervisor Of food service and
equipment in the District, told the
group that sanitary conditions at
GSI cafeteria generally were Eek
cellent." Mr.. Jenkins said, how
ever, that GSI had failed to COM
ply with provisions of the District
code in regard to insulation and
construction matters.
Licenses Applied For.
Although the deadline for 1S47
operating license was last Novem-
ber l, GSI waited until yesterday
to make formal application for the
license, Mr.. Jenkins said.
The witness was followed to the
stand by Charles r. Peters, deputy
commissioner of the Public Buildings
Administration and vice president
of GSI. Mr.. Peters said the PBAI
was trying to correct the structural
defects in some instances, but he
added that it may be necessary to
ask Congress for appropriations to
complete some of the work.
Regarding the license application,
MIR. Peters said that 1t had not been
determined legally whether license
was necessary to operate the GSI
cafeterlas.
Organized on a nonprofit basis to
provide meals for Federal workers
at the lowest possible prices, GSI
occupies the space in Federal build
ings rent free and the Government
also supplies all the heavy equip
ment needed to operate the cafe
terias.