Evening star., 1950-07-16
Buying
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DuyiHQ
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for sugar yesterday. Starting to-
morrow. prices will be up to 95
cent for 10 pounds 4-cent in
crease.
The spokesman indicated that
the present heavy buying was not
responsible for the price boost.
Wholesale costs have risen 20 per
cent within the last 10 days, repre-
senting an increase of 4 cents per
10 pounds, he said.
The same chain store also an
nounced new increases in prices
of some meats, topping off a week
of spiraling prices in that line.
Sausage meats, he said will be up
2 cents pound tomorrow. frank
furters will be up 2 cents and
bacon, depending on the brand,
will be up / to cents.
Storekeepers here said that no
rush on meats had developed like
that on sugar. but they are keep
ing their fingers crossed. They
point out that there are about
$4,000 deep-freeze units in Wash
ington area households. Accord
ing to one wholesaler: 1--WE have
enough supplies for every one. as
long as the people will just keep
their feet on the ground"
Coffee and Bread Higher.
Coffee and bread are other
items for which Washington
housewives will be paying more
next week, at.least in some stores.
One chain announced a 2-cent in
crease in it's standard coffee
brand, bringing the price to IS
cents pound. And third
Washington baker yesterday an
nounced that he will join in a
bread price increase of cent q
loaf tomorrow. The announce
ment. made by the General Bak-
ing Co., brings it in line with the
EContinental and Bond companies,
who announced the increase
earlier.
The move to increase bread
prices brought a demand for an
immediate congressional investi-
cation yesterday. Representative
Flood. Democrat, of Pennsylva-
mia branded the boosts an "ob-
vious attempt at war scale profit
eering," and said he would intro
duce resolution Monday call
ing for an investigation. The
House District Committee should
move promptly to nip in the bud'
such increases, he said.
The baking companies have
cited increased labor and -four
costs as the reasons for the in
creases. Similar rises have been
announced by bakeries in other
large Eastern cities.
Controls Urged by Many.
The general picture of rising
prices and beavy buying brought
new demands for immediate Gov
ernment controls.
Among the latest pleas received
by President Truman is one from
the head of large chain of SUI.
permarkets. and another from 9
prominent labor leader.
Joseph Bildner, head of a 90
store chain in New Jersey, report
ed 'the greatest weekend business
in years, due entirely to buying
beyond current needs" He con-
tended that leach days delay
/ in imposing controls encourages
boarding and price rises
| Emil Rieve, president of the GIG
Textile Workers Union of Amer
ica. urged the President to enact
standby controls. at least" tc
foreStall shortages of goods.
/ Scare Buying Well Scattered.
So far as businessmen and Gov
ernment officials are concerned
the only cheerful thing about the
scare e-buying in the last week Is
that it is well scattered. Consum-
ers were apparently making a run
on almost everything from houses
to whisky, but, fortunately, ac-
cording to the Associated Press
the pattern varied for different To-
calities.
For instance, sales of tires dou-
bled in parts of Louisiana anC
Mississippi. while used cars went
up $3.50 to 5000 in Memphis anc
Nashville. Tenn. In Augusta, Me.
as in Washington, stores were sell.
ing out their sugar stocks. Ir
New York, it was olive oil thai
was providing the headache fol
the dealers, as grocers rushed tt
lstock up.
/ In several areas a record sale
Iof new homes was reported. a,
people rushed to buy, apparentl,
in anticipation of higher prices
Building experts say the public;
mood might be bad for the in.
dustry if it lasts long enough t,
weaken the home market later on
Higher Sales Up.
The Associated Press roundu,
noted that women were maxim,
heavy purchases of nylon stock