Evening star., 1947-12-24
Vast Food Hoardinq
Charged by 5tassen
Ito Increase Prices
By Blair Moody

Harold E. Stassen charged las
night that huge amounts of fcoe
are being held off the market fol
higher prices and proposed a sys,
tenn of inventory controls" tt
check boarding and reduce the cos
of living.
The Republican candidate fol
President revealed that the tota
of food in cold storage is at its all.
time peak, at a moment when fooe
prices are climbing to new records
weekly because supply is short Of
demand.
On December /, Mr.. Stassen dis
closed, food in storage set new
high total of 4,800, 100000 pounds
with the major item meat. In the
big deep freezes" of the Nations
stockyards, 516.O00,00o pounds Of
meat are being held off the market
Mr.. Stassen asserted.
His figures we're confirmed by
the Agriculture Department. whose
spokesman conceded that the Stas-
sen charge that meat in storage is
116,000,000 pounds higher than last
year at this time is also correct.
Cites Spring Shortage.
Mr.. Stassen believes these huge
stocks of meat are being held of
the market in expectation of a meat
shortage next spring which will
send prices skyrocketing, unless
scme direct action is taken. He as
serts that indirect controls, such as
those over credit, are desirable but
inadequate to meet the special sit
uation which has arisen in food
More direct action is necessary, he
declares, and the first step is to see
to it that the food which is available
reaches the consumers, and is not
held out for speculative purposes"
There seems to be no good rea-
son." Mr.. Stassen added, why the
amount of food in storage should
be so far above normal. Only one
conclusion is possible-hoarding for
higher prices. Government could
do the consumers a great service by
stepping into this picture"
Mr.. Stassen recently attacked the
Presidents proposal for selective
price and wage controls and ration
ing, as means of checking the
spiral of food prices, and proposed
inventory control without ex-
planning his reason for the latter
proposal
Merely Initial Step"
During the special session of Con-
greSs, the bill finally passed by the
majorities did not pre-
tend to have a direct impact on
food prices. COP leaders like Sena-
tor Taft of Ohio and House Speaker
Martin excused it's shortcomings by
calling it merely an initial STEP"
This failure to act disturbed some
Senators, notably Sena-
tors Flanders of Vermont and Bald
win of Connecticut. After a sub
committee study of high prices, they
brought out report calling for ra-
of meat as means of "arti-
ficially reducing demand. This.
they indicated, would bring prices
down. Senator Flanders also warned
that a shortage of meat next spring
will drive prices to fantastic
heights" unless some direct action
Is taken
The Agriculture Department, in
confirming Mr.. Stassen's figures, re-
vealed that food in storage is still
rising. OF the 4,008, ,00O, 900 pounds
on hand December l, 5000, 900 900
are cooler" commodities and 1,OO8.-
100000 are freezer" commodities
meat. The cooler" total
rose 100000 pounds in November
and the freezer" commodities TO-
600 1000.
In addition to meat, butter on
hand has risen from 100000 to
46, ,000 900 pounds since last year,
frozen poultry from 301 100000 to
ZIG, 900, 900, and lard 100000 to
10 100000 Storage totals of frozen
fruits and frozen vegetables are
down.
(Copyright. 1a47, by North American
Newspaper Alliance)