Evening star., 1948-01-06
Ives, Murray Indorse
Proposal 10 Prepare
For Meat Rationinq
BY the Associated Pres.

BY The Associated Press
Proposals to set up meat-ra-
tioning machinery on a standby
basis won the Endorsement to-
day of Senators. Ives, Republican,
of New York and Murray, Demo-
crat, of Montana.
While the meat controversy con-
tinued, President Truman's Cabinet
Food Committee decided to elimi-'
nate eggless Thursdays after this
week but to continue its appeal for
meatless Tuesdays.
James A. Stillwell, food conserva-
ton director, announced that this
step is being taken because Of a
seasonal increase in the supply of
eggs.
Mr.. Stillwell noted on behalf of
the Cabinet Food Committee that
the supply of livestock, on the other
hand, is diminishing. The commit
tee took the stand that for this rea-
son it is imperative that meatless
Tuesdays be continued even though
meat may be offered in non COOP
Grating restaurants and hotels"
Deplores Restaurants Action.
At the same time, Mr.. Stillwell
deplored the action of restaurant
and hotel groups that have recon-
mended discontinuance of observ-
ance of meatless Tuesdays. Such
action has been taken by the New
York restaurant industry, and yes
terday the Philadelphia Hotel As
sociation announced similar action.
The meatless and eggless days,
along with poultryless days, were
inaugurated last October to save
grain for relief shipments abroad.
Poultryless Thursdays were aban-
doned in November.
The Agriculture Department has
predicted a meat shortage will de-
velop in the spring With this in
mind. Senator Flanders, Republic
an, of Vermont plans to introduce
legislation which would authorize
the department to make plans for
meat rationing.
1FOS oOSS o"'hAA6 Va
Under Senator Flanders proposal,
still another act of Congress would
be required to put rationing into
effect.
Senator Ives termed Senator
Flanders idea "a very sensible pro-
cedure," and added:
IF it should turn out that we
need rationing, then we would be
all ready for it and no time would
be wasted"
Senator Ives said he would not
hesitate to vote to put rationing
program into operation if serious
meat shortage materializes.
The bill being drafted by Senator
Flanders contemplates no price
controls on meat. Senator Ives said
he was glad of that because price
ceilings would curtail production"
of meat.
Murray Calls for Planning.
But Senator Murray, while in
favor of setting up rationing ma
chinery, said he believes I'VE would
have to have price controls if we
had rationing"
Z AS for getting a rationing plan
ready, Senator Murray said:
"It seems to me that all of the
Government agencies concerned
with this explosive economic situa-
ton ought to be looking ahead and
making specific plans"
Senator Wiley. Republican. of
Wisconsin said he is ''open minded"
about the Flanders plan, "but I am
very skeptical about any single bill
or group of bills which would at
tempt to bring about supply or
price Millennium with wave of the
magic legislative wand"
Senator Wiley added that "at the
present time there seems to be no
substantial support for meat ration
ing, although that situation may
change"
AS for price control on meats,
Senator Wiley said that while meat
prices have risen, they are still far
below the record peaks that they
reached on the black market when
OPA was in control He added:
"It is absolutely essential that we
recognize that no system of meat
rationing can possibly work. unless
there is almost unanimous public
support behind it, together with the
stimulus of some great patriotic
feeling such as existed during the
war"
Secretary of Agriculture Anderson
EXPRESSED about the same view dur
ing a radio talk last Friday. but he
predicted nevertheless that Congress
may have to restore meat rationing
during the session opening today.
Mr.. Anderson already has assigned
an assistant to draft preliminary
ret;opino yAlopS