Evening star., 1951-09-28
Beef Price Rise
To Be Effective
Next Monday
New Ceilings Increase
Cost to Housewives
By 2-Cent Average
By Jones G. Deone

Beef will cost Washington
housewives an average Of 112 to 2
cents more per pound starting
Monday.
New ceilings announced yester-
day by. the Office of Price Stab
illzation will boost some prices as
much as % cents and reduce
others as much as 20 cents.
Whether the individual shopper
gains or loses will depend mainly
on what she buys. Ceilings on
some high-priced steaks will drop
slightly, but those on the most
popular cuts-round steak and
roasts-will climb from l to 8
cents a pound, depending on
grade, and porterhouse steaks
will jump IS to Is cents.
OPS ordered the changes to pull
wholesalers out of a squeeze"
created by recent boosts in the
prices they pay to packers. OPS
had allowed packers to raise prices
under the Capehart amendment
to make up losses on tallow and
hides, on which prices had
dropped.
The new ceilings are supposed
to go on display in all butcher
shops. but q delay is expected
here until posters printed by OPS
can be distributed.
The new order puts separate
ceilings for the first time on top
quality prime" grades. These
cuts have been sold up to now
under ceilings applying to choice"
cuts the next lower category. The
new ceiling will mean a price in
crease averaging 4 cents a pound
for the better grade.
Here is what will happen to
some popular cuts:
Hamburger - Regular ground
beef will go up penny a pound
in all except the largest markets,
The better grade. lean ground
containing a maximum Of II per
cent fat. will increase 2 to S cents
pound.
Rib roast-Up Is cents a pound.
Brlsket or stewing beef-Down
as much as 20 cents a pound, on
choice cuts only.
Steak Up 16 Cents.
Porterhouse steak-Up IS to l6
cents a pound on choice grade.
Ceilings will vary between small
and large stores. In addition to
the ceilings. OPS issued orders re-
quiring sellers to label displays
as to grade and selling price
and display different grades sep
larately. The agency also revised
its rules to permit precubing of
steaks from boneless sirloin and
sirloin tips, as well as round steak
previously used.
Price Director Michael v, Di.
Sale said in a statement that the
regulation is intended to bring
reflective consumer understanding
of beef prices"
| This will be accomplished, he
said, by public posting of ceilings
so the consumer can know she is
paying the proper price.
b To Continue Breakdown.
| In Chicago Mr.. Disable also told
newsmen OPS will continue it's
enforcement drive on beef controls
until the industry is convinced I'VE
mean business"
The drive already has turned UP
254 violation of controls and has
found that many established pack
ers and wholesalers, he said, have
engaged in illegal practices.
The American Meat Institute
denied the charge, but reaffirmed
previous statements that the con-
trolls are unavoidable.
The Army. meanwhile, disclosed
1T has rejected offers from Brazil
and Uruguay to supply beef it
needs because both countries
failed to meet acceptable United
States grading standards. The
Army recently announced it was
seeking foreign beef because
American firms did not bid on its
offer to buy 10 million pounds.