Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-08
Housewives Step Up
Buy-No-Meat Drive
In Many Parts Of U. 5
Nv the Axxocioted Press

CHICAGO, Aug. 7.-Budget-
ried housewives increased their buy
no-meat champaign over telephone
wires today in the face of q Gov
eminent prediction that meat prices
will go higher.
The boycott plan, originating In
Dallas. spread to such cities as
Louisville, Boise, Kansas City, San
Francisco. Indianapolis, Is cities in
Texas and half a dozen in Wiscon-
sin.
The housewives crusade was
aimed directly at one of two causes
given by the department: Record
consumer buying power and a de-
cline in the output of meats and
other livestock products.
( Meanwhile the Agriculture De-
partment predicted that meat and
other livestock prices will lead
retail food price advance in the
! next few months.
Packer Discounts Prediction.
In Indianapolis. however, an Of
fetal of Kingan & Co., meat pack
ers, discounted the Government
prediction and said beef and pork
prices would fall in September or
October as farmers bring in stock.
And in Chicago, spokesman for
the major packers said, Although
we have no crystal ball capable Of
quate meat supplies are expected
this fall and winter, due to season.
.. ally increased marketings of live
stock. Prices then, as always. will
be established by the overall de-
mand of consumers"
But the women who pay the gro
Gerry bills teamed for action.
Ten thousand Dallas women
promised to support the boycott
idea, which started when 71-year-
old Mrs. r. D. Vaughn, president OF
the Dallas Womens Chamber OF
Commerce, took to the telephone.
The idea spread across Texas,
where In 16 cities women agreed to
stop buying meat on August 9.
Some sales already have fallen OF,
but there has been no general re-
Fiction IN prices to date.
Warns on Poultry Prices.
Otis Bryant, president of the Dali
las Independent >Grocers, told the
women that poultry and produce
prices may shoot up as a result OF
their drive.
In Indianapolis. several house
wives began phone campaign and
their leader, Mrs. Velma Perk, ad-
vised callers to write Congress for
price controls on meat.
In Kansas City, Mrs. Edward s.
Munneke, 25-year-old forme r
WAVE, spanked chain-telephone
drive to get her colleagues to quit
buying meat all next week and OBJ
serve three meatless days weekly
until prices fall.
In the same city, James Browne.
president of the city and state In
dependent Retail Grocers Associ-
alton, said "if people would quit
eating meat for week, the country
would be flooded with meat, and
prices would break sharply"
Chain Phone Calls Spread.
A Boise, Idaho, women's club of
so members appealed to all women
in It's area to keep away from meat
counters. Chain phone calls also
spread across Louisville, where sew
eral women's organizations were ex-;
pected to join the drive. Ss9
In San Francisco, a Council of
Women Shoppers was formed to
intensity the campaign which
started there Monday. No change
was evident in retail prices, but
there were some declines in the
wholesale markets. A Butchers
Union spokesman, blaming stock
men for the price levels, said the
boycott may force small shopowners
out of business.
Phones rang In half dozen Wis
consin cities as women were asked
to call five OF their friends and urge
a five-day boycott.
Oregons first resistance groups
were organized yesterday in three
cities. Forty-f1ve Portland women
pledged to buy no more beef until
prices fell one third, to pay no more
than so cents pound for any meat,
and to spread the word to 20 friends.
klamath Falls supported the move.
In Eugene, postcard parade
Joined with the phone campaign as
$50 women voted to keep meat off
their tables