Evening star., 1951-02-01
Meat Cei|inqs
Al All Levels
Due by March
Sterilization Officials
Working on Proposal
For Specific Prices

For Specific Prices
Office of Price Sterilization
officials are working on propose
for specific dollar and cents cell.
ings on meat at all levels and ma,
announce it before March l.
Meat industry sources said thi.
would clear up Nationwide con:
fusion over wholesale meat price.
in which some retailers maintain
they are facing a price squeeze.
Retailers are complaining that
the wholesale price is rising, while
they are forbidden to increase tht
price to their customers.
Up 2 or Cents.
For instance, major fOoc
chain here disclosed that it's meat
buyers yesterday were being Of
fered beef at to cents a pound
higher than quotations last week
The Government price freeze
of last Friday permitted sales OF
any commodity at its highest price
during a base period of December
19 through January 25. However
no specific ceiling prices were es-
tablished.
1--WE have no way of knowing
whether the meat quotations
given our buyers this week by
these suppliers are over the CELL
ing or not" an official of the
chain declared.
1--WE need a spelling out of the
ceiling SO we can tell just where
we stand"
This chain, to protect itself, is
stamping all it's order forms with
a statement saying the selling
price is in accordance with the
regulation as the seller inter-
prets it.
Burden of Proof on Seller"
THAT is a precaution which we
believe puts the burden of proof
on the seller" the store official
commented.
The National Association Of
Meat Professors and Wholesalers,
which represents about 500 firms
throughout the country. is urging
the price Office to set dollar and
cents prices on all meat cuts. as
we'll as on livestock as the only
way to end the price squeeze.
In addition, the association
wants the specific prices posted
in retail stores. just as was done
under OPA in the last war.
The Government could clamp
ceilings on beef cattle, lambs end
vealers since they are selling at
prices above parity. This could
not be done in the case of hogs
as the farm price is below parity.
The law says an agricultural COM
modify must be at or above parity
before it can be controlled.
Situation Brings Headaches.
Price stabilization officials,
meanwhile, were admitting pri-
vately that the meat situation was
giving them headaches.
The association at the same
time telegraphed Price Stabilizer
Michael Disable:
"Midwestern meat packers ap-
parently are using a loophole in
the general ceiling price regula-
ton of protective or token sales
during the base period at arti-
f1cially high levels, to put the
squeeze on independent meat
wholesalers and professors.
The telegram, sent by Associa-
tion Counsel Joseph B. Danzan-
sky. adding that carcass beef was
quoted yesterday to wholesalers
in some Eastern markets at 48
cents a pound. This, he said, IS
more than the wholesalers own
resale prices under the freeze.
Hopes for Specific Ceilings.
"The explanation given by
packers is that they made sales
at these levels during the freeze
base period although wholesalers
say they did not make purchases
above 43 cents" Mr.. Danzansky
said.
The American Meat Institute,
whose members include the big
National packers such as Armour,
Swift and Cudahy, charged in a
statement today that claims that
a meat famine was on the way
were entirely reckless"
A warning of IAN artificial
famine of meat" was sounded
yesterday by Mr.. Danzansky.
The institute statement added
that established meat packing
companies, as usual, are dis
tributing meat equitably to their
customers.
The institute has long opposed
any controls over meat and has
80 informed the Economic Sta
bilization Agency.
The District Office of Price
Stabilization said it has received
a number of complaints about al
legged over-ceiling quotations on
beef.
Beef definitely" Under Ceilings.
Acting Price Director Vincent A.
Holmes warned that beef was
"def1nitely' under ceilings, and he
promised that the meat situation
will be among the first problems
to be investigated by the enforce
ment staff.
However, there Is one titch-Mr.
Holmes does not vet have a staff